To Marble We Return
by sodnam
Summary: Medieval AU. Plagued by the mistakes she's made, Ruby goes on the hunt again, seeking the witch who can make things right. But will she find her before it's too late?
1. Trail's Gone Cold

**WARNING: This is a sequel to _The Girl Made of Marble_ , so it's advisable to read that one first. If you're really, really smart you could understand most without it, but come on, it's like 25k words, don't be lazy. It will also be darker, as the initial chapter might suggest, so I understand if you want to give this a skip.  
**

 **If you're still here, or back here already, then welcome to the first step of this new journey.**

* * *

 **1\. Trail's Gone Cold**

The girl walked in a brisk pace through the dimly lit swamp, despite the sinking terrain underneath her feet. Accumulated mud coated her boots all the way to her dark pants. The red cape over her shoulders was torn and scratched at the bottom, in serious need of a visit to the seamstress. Not that she cared, the cloak had once been her most valued possession, but her priorities had been forced away from the frivolities of clothing. Her face was resting in a half-frown, no smiles or giggles in her expression those days.

She was tired from the constant walk, aching muscles all the way to the bone, but she pushed through nonetheless, driven by relentless determination. At long last, her destination began to appear over the horizon, a large building with lights pouring through the windows.

 _The White Fang._ The inn where gathered all who desired not to be found by the human communities and governments. Not too many people knew about it, and none of its regulars parted with the information keenly. It was, in summary, a safe haven for all kinds, mostly non-humans tired of being chased and hunted by mankind. Hence its swampy location, a dark and forsaken place no one dared to look in, and the perfect hiding spot.

A shady establishment, no doubt about it, there were even rumors about a terrorist organization assembling in secret inside. The huntress wasn't there for them, but she herself was counting on the secrecy of the place. It had been a difficult choice to resort to it, but options weren't exactly in great number at the moment. She hoped at least for some privacy while handling business, protected from the prying ears of her target, who managed to remain one step ahead at all times. It was hard to track down someone with such a good network of spies.

Nearing the entrance, she checked the concealed knife on her left leg, ensuring it remained ready but hidden. She had left the bow and quiver behind, too inconspicuous for a social call. It made her feel unprotected, but having a weapon out in the open would've given her more trouble than otherwise. It would be hard enough to get inside as is, the last thing she needed was to appear to have murderous intent. Stopping for an instant, she touched the small crystal inside her pocket, refilling her confidence.

Reaching the wide open door, the roaring sounds of clientele enjoying their evening could be clearly heard within. Two figures were standing by, flanking the entrance on both sides. The man on the right was tall and bulky, thick muscled arms appearing from the sleeveless green coat he wore. The garments underneath looked black under the moonlight, with a long cloth hurdled around his waist. To the left was a shorter, yet still taller than her, man with burnt orange hair all the way to his chin, covering most of his dark-skinned face. Unfazed by the temperature, he only had a vest the same color of his hair, and black trousers. His eyes were a clouded white, but he was not any less alert for it.

Before the red-hooded girl could enter, the taller man placed one of his arms in front of her, and roared menacingly.

"You have a lot of nerve coming back here, human."

She stared back at his eyes with burning fury, not in the mood for his nonsense. Before she could fire back the words screaming in her mind, there was a voice heard calling out from inside.

"Let her go, Yatsu. She's with me."

The bouncer looked back at the brunette woman who had spoken, and reluctantly lowered the barrier. As the archer walked in, she heard him whisper a warning.

"You better not start any trouble. Your friend isn't here to save your skin this time."

She sneered at the blatant threat, and moved on.

The wide room was bustling with activity, tables filled with customers eating, drinking and talking all around. Some, although not all, proudly displayed signs of not being human. Tails, ears and horns, even one towering man-tree, oak-skinned with small branches growing out. There was no stigma in there, no reason to hide. They could be free.

The huntress got a couple of looks of mistrust, from people who recognized her. She understood why, this was their house and not hers, she wasn't welcome. To say the truth, she missed her house.

Her contact was sitting by the bar and the silver-eyed girl lowered her hurting body on top of the stool next to her. The woman gestured the bartender to fill her empty glass, then looked to the newcomer.

"Want something?"

"You know exactly what I want."

"Damn, Ruby, can you take it easy for a second? You're with me, no one is going to hurt you here. And from the look of things you could use a break." It was true, she desperately needed some rest. And knowing her company, she would get no answers until she humored the request, so she nodded in agreement.

It was undeniable as well that no one would dare to attack as long as she kept close to the brunette. Despite her lean and toned body, she was not at all defenseless. Below her kind face and long hair, she had a full set of dark brown clothes that could have been mistaken for measly cloth by the untrained eye, but were in fact made of hardened leather. It was, for all purposes, armor, but one meant for mobility rather than sheer protection. Still, it wasn't just her outfit that struck fear in the enemies who were unlucky to cross her, but _what_ she was.

A shifter. She had been born with the ability to take many forms, albeit only for a short time. It was a rare and powerful trait, and even if she preferred stealth and infiltration, she could just as easily take on foes with the power of a small army. Not many people would willingly face someone as mighty, and for good reason. It was truly a blessing, and more than a little strange, how good-natured and friendly she was, not one to hold grudges despite the poisonous atmosphere she liked to frequent.

"So, I don't see Blake today. Where is she?" The first question pertained to their mutual friend, the lycan who had been the entry pass for the archer's first visit to the inn.

"We got separated."

"Is she still upset with Yang?" Ruby gestured affirmatively, allowing the obvious next question to surface. "Are _you_ still upset?"

She sighed deeply, sinking down on her seat, and took a sip of the glass that had appeared in front of her while she wasn't looking. The alcohol burned in her throat, but also dulled her nerves. Sometimes it was lucky how little she was used to liquor, the slightest amount being enough to work the desired effect.

"Wouldn't you?"

The long haired woman looked defeated but comprehensive about the response. She might've not known the huntress' blonde sister well, but it was easy to understand why her actions were so hard to forgive.

"So..." She finished the new drink, but made no motion to ask for more. "Onto business. You're still after the Schnee, aren't you?"

"Yes. The trail's gone cold again, she always knows my next move."

"You could've come to me sooner, you know I don't mind giving you a hand."

"Does that mean you have something?" The short-haired girl asked hopefully, yearning for a new piece of the puzzle.

"Yes, I've been after someone myself, a bounty hunter, and I heard some rumors. She was last seen here, and she's said to be heading north." The shifter pointed to a village in a small hand-drawn map she pulled from her pouch.

Ruby took note of the information with a subtle smile. North meant away from her path, but it also meant the prey was on the run from her. All things considered, it felt like a victory.

"Thanks. Oh, and..." The silver eyed girl pointed to the bartender. "...you should ask her out."

They both looked at the woman who stood behind the bar, cluelessly cleaning a glass from a patron who had left. She was quite good-looking, short brown hair framing her face, a single long strand running down her right cheek, slightly lighter in tone at the tip. She also dressed very sharply, a stylish corset over a beige shirt and pants that looked quite expensive, both dark brown with black highlights. Many customers came in trying to woo her, but were promptly dissuaded by her refined brawn, unexpectedly having a sharp mouth and a mean punch.

"What?" The brunette wasn't expecting the remark, but Ruby had long noticed her subtle glances. There was something there, it just needed a push.

"I mean it, Velvet. You never know when it's the last time you'll see the ones you care about." The archer got up to exit, now that the business was finished, but her arm was grabbed, and she was met with worried eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired. It shouldn't be long now till it's over."

And with that she walked away, leaving behind the stunned Velvet staring blankly.

* * *

It was late when Ruby managed to return to her campsite. Everything was where she'd left it, no man lurking around those parts. She picked up the cold leftovers of her last meal, a roasted squirrel, and took a bite. It tasted horribly, because of the ash she had spilled on it to avoid predators, but it didn't matter as long as it fended off the hunger.

She removed the knife from its strap, placing it under her bedroll for a quick draw if need be. Then she lied down, deciding to rest for the night. Her portable cot wasn't necessary to provide heat, the red cape was more than enough, but it helped fight the elements.

Before falling asleep, she fumbled in her pocket, playing with the small amber crystal inside.

 _I'm so close, Penny. I'll make this right, I promise._

* * *

 **It feels so good to be back in this world again.**

 **I actually wrote most of this chapter before I even finished _The Girl Made of Marble_. It's the core set-up for the new story I was aiming to tell, and it's meant to raise a lot of questions that will be slowly answered along the rest of the way.**

 **As always, don't be shy with the reviews. It's your feedback that fuels my writing.**


	2. Never Forget Me

**Fun fact: Did you know the working title for _The Girl Made of Marble_ , during the first drafts of the story, was _'Stones and Dolts'_? It was silly and not befitting of the fic's tone, but I only came up with the final title the day I uploaded it.**

* * *

 **2\. Never Forget Me**

As the sun rose, so did the huntress, driven by the need to avoid wasting precious hours of sunlight for the long hike ahead. It would take her the entire day to reach the next village, and she wanted to ensure a roof over her head for the night. A storm was brewing, and no amount of cloth could protect her from the raging winds it would bring. Hopefully, the rain wasn't going to start before she arrived at the destination.

There was no road where she trailed, only irregular woods that sprawled through countless acres. The countryside of the kingdom didn't benefit from the thick stone walls and highly-trained garrisons like cities did, so villages were few and distant from one another. There was no reason for man to tear down the forests, not when it was too busy fighting itself. So the countryfolk lived off of the land, in small and tight townships with little to no communication with the outside. Traveling merchants were the only ones who dared to roam between towns, although they usually employed a great number of guards at their service, and even then it wasn't unheard of for them to go missing. Between bandits, beasts and all manner of dangers, the unpaved routes were highly inadvisable for those without a death wish.

Ruby was not scared. She thrived amongst the trees, even if those weren't the same ones she had grown accustomed to. Nimble and with a great sense of orientation, one she had acquired during her countless hours of stalking game, she was ready to face, or rather evade, whatever lurked in waiting. In fact, it were the villages she dreaded, full of close minded people akin to the ones who had stigmatized her while growing up. She did not miss them in the slightest, nor the nights she had spent crying away her loneliness.

There was, however, one thing she did long for: home. It had been many nights since she'd left, accompanied by Blake, and there was nothing she desired more than being able to return, to live a simple and peaceful life once more, like they used to. Yet she feared there would be no home to return to. The lycan was away, their shared voyage leading them separate ways by accident, although she hoped they would reconvene soon. Her sister had done the unspeakable, and none of them was sure of her current location, neither that they desired to follow. And Penny...

The archer shook away the sorrowful memories, and tried to concentrate on her surroundings. Catching an unsuspecting prey would undoubtedly make her journey easier, as the food rations she kept in her satchel weren't as plenty as they used to. When she had the raven-haired girl by her side provisions were easier to come by. Between the two, wild animals had no chance. But now she was alone, and had to work for her meals. Luckily, her muscles were still very much in tune for the activity, kept sharp by the constant hunt.

Her silver eyes spotted a white hare in the distance, and a fat one indeed. There were probably not many predators around if the small rodent could grow to such a size. It was its unlucky day, as one hungry creature had just walked into his vicinity: Ruby.

Silently reaching for the bow on her back, she raised it forward to properly point towards the target. Her left hand pulled the string, while the right gripped at the center of the weapon, feeling the inscription under her fingers. ' _From Penny'_. After her previous one had been broken during the fight with the witch Weiss Schnee, the former-statue had made it her mission to procure a new version. The ginger blamed herself for the trouble that had befallen the household, so she had tried her best to patch things up. Ruby recalled trying to talk her out of it, but Penny was as firm as she was jovial and, truth be told, adorable. The dark-haired girl never found out how she had managed to acquire it, but it had been a delightful gift nonetheless.

 _"See? It even has my name on it, so you'll never forget me."_

Now it was not only a memory of what she once had, but also a bitter reminder of what she had foolishly lost.

Deep inside her own mind, she didn't notice the hare casually slip away, none the wiser about how close it had been to becoming dinner. His good fortune would, however, not last, as the archer regained focus of the environment around. She almost released the arrow she had at the ready, but was able to note the absent prey just in time. She walked quietly through the thick bushes, trying to avoid making any sudden movements, and soon enough found it again. That time her thoughts didn't wander, and the small animal's head was pierced by a swift bolt, dying instantly. At least it was painless, it was the most humane act she could afford.

She retrieved the projectile, and cleaned it before inserting it back into the quiver. Next she waited for the hare to stop bleeding, so she could store it safely without the stench of blood following wherever she went. She ignored the rumbling in her stomach, not having the extra time to prepare it. It would serve as her nightly meal, and a fresh piece of that size was undoubtedly a victory.

Satisfied with herself, Ruby resumed the long march that laid before her. There was a stillness in the air, almost like somebody was watching, but she saw nothing that could've been the source for it. Many hours would still pass before she found the town, and she started whistling through the way, using a soft melody to dispel the darkness that loomed over her heart.

* * *

The village looked just like any other. Wooden houses with angular straw roofs lined around the dirt road. A well at the center, the commodity that reigned over their lives. Crop fields reaching far and wide around. It was almost distressingly similar to the one she had been born into. There was only one major detail distinguishing them.

It was deserted. She had assumed as much, as all life seemed to abandon the places left in her target's wake. It was better that way, as she would benefit from four walls and a ceiling without any further complications. The inhabitants wouldn't have been able to aid her hunt anyway, and communities only made it more likely for her position to reach the ears of the witch.

Just as she entered the town square, rain started pouring from the heavens, shyly at first but then with confident might. She glanced around the nearby houses, and opted by the central one, which also happened to be the largest and most ostentatious. It was the one most likely to still hold a bed inside, and her sore muscles would very much welcome a night spent atop a comfortable straw mattress.

The door creaked, annoyed to be disturbed, but opened without effort. Ruby stepped inside, feeling the dusty scent of the abandoned building. It appeared to be a dining hall, with long tables and benches stretching across the room, the size so big it could've probably housed the entire population of her hometown. Hunting trophies adorned the walls, preserved wild animal heads to display fighting prowess.

 _They must've lived pretty well, if they could afford something like this._

She dusted off her cape at the entrance, not wet enough to be a nuissance, before starting to roam the building. Behind the hall was a chamber that connected with the second floor through some stairs. The steps bent and cringed under her feet, signaling poor woodwork that was near shambles from lack of use. The upper area was dimly lit only by the feeble rays of the setting sun. The rooms contrasted with the hall for their austerity, simple furniture and no decorations, although the latter was the divergent one. Only the pouring rain could be heard, raging outside.

Suddenly, there was a noise, and her entire body came to a halt. It appeared to have originated inside the farthest compartment, a mere wall between it and the huntress.

She trailed one leg after the other carefully, trying to remain concealed from whatever had made the sound. Pushing the entrance open, she saw the back of a man going through the many trinkets and jewelry on top of a table. He had a pair of white pants with a matching jacket, the taint of dirt only slightly affecting the outfit, and his orange hair hid beneath a black hat. Behind him was a regular bedroom, with a large bed and a dresser, despite being quite sizable.

As soon as Ruby stepped in the room, the floorboards loudly betrayed her position, and the man turned around.

"Oh! Well, this is awkward..."

From the front, he looked clearly exotic. Under the jacket he had a dark shirt with a grey handkerchief tied around the neck, and his hair fell above one of his green eyes. The clothing was strange and unfitting for the countryside, almost implicating he was someone of wealth, but the dirt made it apparent that was not the case. The hat was quite odd, black with pointy ends and a red band, only further complementing the look.

 _A disgraced nobleman, maybe?_ The archer had heard stories of the distant capital, where kings and aristocrats lived. She had never paid much mind to it, mere tales of lands she had never dreamed to visit. Unless, of course, they involved a brave and valiant knight, or better yet, knightess, overcoming the trials of impending darkness. She always had a soft spot for fairy tales, full of romance and excitement. Now that she was on her own adventure, things didn't seemed as glamorous as promised. A lot more mud and hunger, and a lot less praise and glory. And the romance part hadn't gone so well either.

Before the intruder could make a move, Ruby lunged forward, releasing the knife from her leg. His reaction was too slow, and soon he was pressed against the wall, an arm bound and a blade to the throat. It was drastic, but no one was supposed to be there and she couldn't take any risks.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

The corner of her eye caught a glimpse of movement, but both arms busy left her helpless to stop it. To her astonishment, the man didn't attack. Instead, he used his free hand to lift the hat from his head.

"Roman Torchwick, at your service."

Her grip on the knife faltered slightly from bewilderment, and it took her a moment to talk again. Why was the redheaded man so relaxed?

"You didn't answer the second question."

"I was going north when I passed by this place and noticed it was deserted. Figured I could have a look and see if there were any valuables, since, you know, they won't need be needing them anymore." A smirk never left his lips as he spoke. He didn't appear bothered in the slightest by the threat to his life. He was either convinced the huntress didn't have the nerve to do it, or was used to it. Ruby didn't know which option she found the more distressing.

"You just... stumbled upon this village?"

"That's what I said. Why would I be lying?"

 _So many reasons._ She decided to believe him for the time being, since it would've been more troublesome to restrain him all night until the storm ended. Besides, she would keep an eye out, avoiding giving him openings that could end in bloodshed.

Releasing his arm, she let her hand slide across his torso and legs, which caused him to flinch noisily.

"Jeez, woman, I know I'm irresistible and all, but buy me a few drinks first, will'ya?"

"Be still or I'll actually stab you. I'm just checking you for weapons." Satisfied with the results, Ruby backed off, allowing him to breathe out.

"So, Red, I've shown you mine, how about you show me yours?"

"Excuse me?" Putting the dagger back in his throat crossed her mind for more than a full second.

"Your name. What did you think I was talking about, katanas?"

"Oh... It's Ruby. Ruby Rose."

"Ruby Rose and you dress in red... A bit of a theme going on there, don't you?" She shot him an annoyed look to discourage continuing. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up. Tough crowd."

"You mentioned you were going north?"

"Yeah, I'm meeting an associate a little ways up. Why, you going that way too?"

"Actually, yes."

"Then why don't you tag along? I wouldn't mind the added protection. Besides, it's the least you could do after fondling me."

She hummed in uncertainty, thrown off by the over-eagerness of the proposal. After all, they had just met, and it was a tad strange how quick he was to trust. Luckily, he understood the reaction almost immediately.

"Well, you have plenty of time to decide. Neither of us is going anywhere in this weather, we're gonna be stuck here for a while."

Together, they gathered some firewood from useless furniture, and got a fire in the fireplace downstairs, the only stone structure inside, so that the building wouldn't go down in flames. Ruby reluctantly prepared the hare for both of them, unhappy about having to share the catch with a dubious stranger. As they ate, it slowly became more and more clear that the Torchwick was, in fact, good company. She wasn't going to let her guard down, but he at least provided entertainment, despite his evidently rotten morals.

"Oh, let me tell about the time I robbed a viscount's widow!"

* * *

As the hours flew by, the red-hooded archer found herself laying on the comfortable bed. She had heard the many stories the con-man had to tell, and laughed more than she recalled doing for months. It was clear he had no shame about his questionable misdeeds, but that only made it all the funnier.

When it had gotten late, he had insisted she take the main bedroom. There was a key, so she could sleep peacefully without fear of being betrayed while vulnerable. As she absentmindedly stared at the ceiling, hearing the furious raindrops outside, she decided she would travel with Roman for the time being. If they were going the same way, there was no reason not to.

Before submitting to the land of dreams, there was still something Ruby needed to do. She retrieved the amber-colored crystal from her pocket and brought it to her lips. She then placed it down on the floor, and faced it with a sad smile.

"Hey, Penny. I know it's been a while..."


	3. Pretending

**This was initially supposed to be two chapters, but I felt like it worked better as just one lengthy one. It's almost as big as the two previous ones put together, and it allowed me to stop postponing this first scene.**

* * *

 **3\. Pretending  
**

The vegetables were fresh and washed, picked clean for any flaws, and the water was boiling in waiting. All she needed was something to add flavor, to avoid the bland taste of steamed produce. Even after all that time, the feeling of eating, letting food run through her taste-buds, was still new and exciting. She had found that she was rather fond of cooking, allowing her free reign over the wild experiments she liked to perform. Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, she wanted to try them all, apart and mixed together, to discover all the wonders she had missed out on for so long. It didn't even matter the late hour of night it already was, she was consumed by the need for stimuli.

It was, of course, not as fun to do by herself, with no one to accompany her in the results, but that also meant nobody to experience the many, many disasters. At least, that's what she told herself, trying to calm the overwhelming loneliness. She yearned so for some company, for the return of her friends.

As if brought forth by wishful thinking, her necklace started pulsating in a low tune. It was a thread holding small red crystal, one of the little things they had managed to salvage from the wreck that was her father's laboratory. It had surely proven a useful tool.

The ginger girl retrieved it from her neck, and gently blew on it before placing it on the floor and sitting in front of it. Not long after, the image of a familiar face appeared out of thin air.

"Hey, Penny. I know it's been a while..."

The former-statue mustered up the severest and most disapproving tone she could, before answering.

"Ruby Rose, what took you so long?" She had barely finished speaking when she burst out in laughter, unable to maintain the farce of being upset. The huntress had that effect on her, it had only been an instant and she already felt lonesome no more. "I'm kidding. I'm glad you had time today."

"Sorry I didn't talk sooner, it's been busy on the road. How are you doing?"

"I'd be better if you were here and not out on some fool's errand." Surprisingly, those words managed to leave her mouth without damaging her smile.

"And how's... you know..."

"I'm fine, Ruby, really. It's not that bad yet, you don't need to worry."

There was a silence between them, but it wasn't a comfortable one as it had once been. There were too many things hanging in the air, too many words left unspoken to one another. But the stillness didn't last, as the silver-eyed girl decided to break it.

"I'm so close now. I've almost got her. She'll be able to make you better, she has to."

Penny knew better than to try to dissuade her to give up. She had tried too many times with no results. They sure made quite the stubborn pair.

"How about Blake? Have you found her yet?"

"No, I still don't know where she ended up when we split up. But I have a new travelling partner now!"

"Oh really?" It took a lot of self-control to hide the jealousy in her voice.

"Yeah, a guy called Roman. A real sleazeball, but I can handle him." Ruby made a toothy grin, in a very endearing fashion that only she knew how to.

"I'm sure you can."

"Well, I should probably go to sleep now, it'll be a long day tomorrow. Just wanted to check in, see how you were doing."

"You'd better return fast. I miss you."

She reached her hand forward, desperate to touch the figure in front of her. The archer mirrored the movement, and their fingers moved closer but never managed to establish contact. The crystals only transmitted image and sound, they could not recreate the warmth and spark of a real person's skin. It was useful, but it was never enough...

"I miss you too."

And like that, it was over. Penny put the necklace back on and promised herself she wouldn't cry, as the loneliness started to creep back inside her aching heart. Nothing in the world could replace what she wanted the most.

* * *

 _I miss you too._

Ruby severed the connection, feeling her smile fade away. It was hard pretending to be okay for the ginger girl. Pretending that they didn't have their days together numbered. She had placed her entire hand on this hunt, and was struggling to see the payoff for the bet. If she lost, she hadn't just sacrificed countless hours of her life, but perhaps even the final ones of her friend, time she should've spent by her side. But it was too late now, she was all in. The question was whether or not the opponent was confident in those odds.

* * *

 _THUMP THUMP_

"Rise and shine, Red. Lots of ground to cover today, and the sun's wasting away."

The short-haired archer reached in vain for her hunting knife, startled by the unfamiliar surroundings. Slowly her head started to process the events of the previous night, shedding light on where she was and who was making all that ruckus. She was used to waking up to a quiet forest, and the sudden change of pace threw her off guard.

Her recovery complete, she got up and proceeded to get ready. It didn't take much effort, she had gone to sleep wearing the only outfit she had brought. Extra clothing would've only slowed her down, and she washed them (and herself) whenever opportunity presented itself. Not that lack of spare clothes was strange for someone of her social standing.

She strapped the bow and quiver on her back, placed the knife in its concealed sheath and tied the satchel to her waist. Finally prepared to face the day, she unlocked the door and walked downstairs. Roman was sitting in the hall, nibbling at a piece of rabbit leg that had survived the prior evening. When he saw her enter, he pushed a plate with the rest her way.

"At long last, she awakens! Come on, eat up. We have a long way to go."

Ruby sat down across from him and accepted the offering.

"You do know I never actually said I was going to travel with you, right?"

"Why? Am I not pretty enough for you? Or maybe you prefer girls?" The huntress tried her best to fight the raging blush in her cheeks. Having just woken up wasn't the best condition for her bluffing skills. "Oh my, I sense a story there... You'll have to tell me all about it **on the way north**."

"Are you always this smooth, Roman? Or are you trying to make me feel special?"

"As if, you're way too young for me. You could never appreciate my refined charm." She started to violently choke on her breakfast, falling into a coughing fit until tears were forming in her eyes. "Laugh all you want. Back in the capital, ladies would line up for a piece of the great Roman Torchwick."

"You've been to Vale? The city? What's it like?" Her eyes lit up for a second. So he really was from the city. He could teach her so much, about the world and beyond.

"I could tell you... while on the road. Seriously, sweetie, I have to get going. Better make up your mind fast."

"Ugh fine, I'll tag along for today." There was no way she would pass over such an opportunity, but there was no need to let him know that.

The man got up and grabbed a black walking cane that was resting against the table. He then gestured towards the door, and proceeded outside. Ruby took a couple of bites out of the meat, not wanting to waste any, before hurriedly following behind.

The ground was wet and muddy, and the trees curved slightly, still bearing signs from the storm of the night that had passed. They were lucky that the weather had cleared up, a bright blue sky above promising no more rain. It would most undoubtedly make the march ahead more bearable.

"Is that yours or did you steal it?" She pointed at the cane he was holding while they began the trek out of the village.

"Oh please..."

* * *

They walked silently for hours, only addressing each other when strictly needed. The fallen noble had quite the in-depth knowledge of the area and its dangers, expertly guiding her through the best paths. He was no hunter, that much was obvious, and Ruby was mostly just humoring him. As long as he didn't make any rookie mistakes, she would have no reason to correct him.

She normally wouldn't have been so quiet. She enjoyed conversation as much as anyone, and her current companion, unlike the previous one, was clearly a talker himself. Yet the feeling on the back of her head, that sensation of being watched, was nagging her endlessly once again. She took furtive glances behind, but only ever saw small fauna, rabbits and birds, nothing suspicious. It was driving her insane. Her instincts had never been wrong before. Off by a little, sure, but never wrong. Was it just because she didn't trust Torchwick? True, he was shady and immoral, plus she knew next to nothing about him, so she couldn't really feel completely safe around him. But she wasn't sure whether or not that was the full extent of the problem.

After many paranoia-fueled hours of silence, the man decided he was tired of not listening to the sound of his voice, and spoke.

"So... what did you want to know about Vale?"

The archer nearly forgot all that had been bugging her, and desperately tried to sort through the countless question buzzing inside her head. In the end, she opted for a casual one, so as not to betray her fascination with the place.

"How big is it?"

"Oh it's big. That house we were just in? There are thousands of those."

"Thousands? That must be huge..." In truth, she didn't know how much was a 'thousand', but she understood it was a big number.

"And that's nothing! You should see the castle, one room in it was larger than that house. It even had a ball room that was almost the size of that whole village."

"Wooow..." Her eyes were genuinely sparkling. "What's a ball room?"

"It's where they make fancy parties and dances for the nobles, with more food and drink than you've seen in your entire life. No offense."

"You were one of them, weren't you? A nobleman, I mean"

"Very astute, Red. Yes, I was." He looked down while speaking, showing a slight tinge sadness seeping through the cracks on his mask.

"What happened?"

"There's a man in the capital, they call him The General. He's a foreigner who came from a faraway land, no one really knows why. But he really made an impression, a great fighter with cunning for strategy, it wasn't long before King Ozpin made him the commander of the royal army. He became his right-hand man, and one of the most powerful people in the kingdom."

 _Where's he going with this?_

"Well, it turns out that if you piss off the right hand of the King, you get slapped by it. And by slapped I mean exiled."

 _Ah, there it is._ "Let me guess, you stole from him, didn't you?"

"You got me. As did he, that's kind of the problem. But I had to do something, couldn't let that stuck-up prick think he was better than me!"

"Considering you got caught, I guess he kinda is..." Ruby made a sly smile, taking the obvious jab at his pride.

"How dare you? After all I've done for you?" He made an offended gasp, but the red-hooded girl struggled to be certain it was fake, so she changed subject.

"Do you miss it?"

"Being filthy rich? Surprisingly, no. I do miss my enormous wardrobe, but not having to put up with morons who think money gives them power over everyone. And it's much easier to rob everyone blind when no one knows who you are. This..." He raised his arm, pointing to the open area around, full of trees, fresh air and peace. "...is what I like. It's where I was born, and it's where I belong."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'where you were born'? I thought you were from the city."

"I was, but before that I lived out here in the forest. I used to be a scavenger, a hunter like you, until... my whole family was wiped out by lycans. Those filthy animals took everything away from me." His tone grew dark and bitter. He was evidently uncomfortable recalling his tragic youth.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You don't have t-" The huntress began to offer her condolences, but was promptly cut off.

"That day, over what was left of the ones I loved, I swore I would never let anyone step over me again, that I would make it by any means necessary. So I moved to the capital, then lied and cheated my way to the top. Fake smiles and vain promises will carry you a long way, Red. Learn that while you can."

She couldn't muster up a response. That man had been to hell and beyond, and made it out stronger. A complete scoundrel, but stronger. Now that she saw it, there was actually quite a lot in common between them. She almost scolded herself for not trusting him sooner. His words felt truthful, and she had a newfound respect for him. Plus she had been wrong, he was a hunter. It made sense with how familiar he was with the terrain, and the many flaws could be explained by being out of commission for so long.

The silence deepened as they kept hiking up the path, neither feeling like speaking after the air had become so heavy. Eventually, Roman was again the one who caved in and tried to change the topic.

"So, about that girl of yours..."

The huntress sighed loudly. "There's no girl."

"Now now, are you really going to try to lie to me? Lying is what I do, darling. You can't fool me."

Ruby glared at her boots, kicking a small pebble that was in the way. She didn't want to talk about it, but after he'd poured his heart and soul in front of her, it felt ungrateful not to give some in return.

"Fine, there was a girl, but it's complicated."

"What's her name?"

"Penny."

"Do you like her?" His eyes were staring at her like vultures circling around prey, waiting for the right moment to kill and feast on the carcass.

"No! I mean, I don't know. Maybe... We're friends, that's all." She stumbled heavily on those words. It was hard enough to be answering about such deeply personal matters, but it was even worse that she actually didn't know herself. Penny had always been an oddball in her life, ever since they had met in the forest, a naive huntress and a murderous marble statue battling it out and eventually befriending each other.

"I'll take that as a yes. Is she cute?"

"Like you wouldn't believe..."

"You like her, she's cute, what's complicated about it?"

The weight of the world was suddenly on the young archer's shoulders. She wanted to say it, to lift herself of the shackles buried deep within her heart, but it wasn't so simple. Firstly, Roman was still a stranger, and she had told him enough to repay the debt. He was just an acquaintance that would be gone in a day or two. Secondly, saying it out loud would make it real, materialize both the crisis and her failure to deal with it. She wasn't sure she was ready to handle the emotional fallout of her actions. Yet, against all odds, she gathered all the courage she could muster, and offered the best explanation she could.

"Penny... she's sick. It's bad and I don't know how long she has. It could be years or it could be weeks."

Ruby didn't specify on the ailment, but he didn't pry either. It was normal for people to fall ill and for no one to know what plagued them. If it was truly bad, anyone without medical training would just give them herbs to dull the pain and pray it wasn't contagious. Doctors were rare and expensive, and only found in the larger cities. Those who couldn't afford it had little hope for a cure, and no choice but to await death, and the subsequent cremation to avoid spreading. A nasty solution, but an effective one.

"Then why are you here and not with her?" The question she often asked herself as well.

"I'm trying to find a witch. She can cure her. I just have to make it in time." It was half a truth. She had mostly just ran away, pretending the problem wasn't real with the pretense of finding a solution. She hadn't wanted to face the redheaded girl every day wondering how long they had. But she really did believe in finding a cure, one that would not just make her friend better but also fix the mistakes she had made.

He considered what she'd told him for a moment, then smiled with the closest thing he had to warmth.

"That's pretty romantic, I like it. Well then, let's hurry up so you can save the day."

* * *

The day had been long and intense, both physically and emotionally, so it was with relief that the duo greeted the sight of the lonely shack Torchwick claimed to be his residence. It was rough and unrefined, contrasting with the owner's own poise, but it would do wonderfully in the night that would very soon follow.

The ginger man motioned to open the door, and Ruby stopped, finally feeling the many hours of hiking on her muscles with a sharp and consistent pain. Hopefully she could just sit down until the next morning, to let the soreness fade.

The inside was bare and empty, wooden walls with nary a piece of furniture to cover them, only a bed, two chairs, and a set of stairs up. Almost desolate to imagine he lived there, really it looked like nothing more than a temporary safehouse, a place where one would rest before moving on. It didn't look too safe, cracks across the surface meaning the structure was unstable and could crumble down if pressured too much.

"NEO, I'M HOOME! AND I BROUGHT A GUEST!" His loud shout startled the huntress, and he quickly turned to her with an apologetic smirk. "My associate, the one I told you I was meeting. Lovely girl, doesn't speak much but I'm sure you'll get along just peachy."

Ruby looked up and saw a little girl giddily descending the stairs. Well, she was short, significantly lower than the archer herself, but her eyes made it hard to pinpoint age. Those ardent irises weren't the eyes of a child, and it was difficult to tell the exact color. She had knee-high white boots above black pants and a similarly black shirt under a white vest. It was well-fitted and elegant, resembling the apparel of a professional fencer, a combat outfit for gracious and well-trained fighters. Her hair, which she wore in a neatly tied ponytail, was parted at the middle between brown and soft pink, further proving the girl's love for duality. It was even more eccentric than her partner, making her undoubtedly stand out in a crowd despite her height.

Neo jumped up and hugged Roman briefly, before switching her attention over to the visitor.

"Neo, this is Ruby, our honored guest. Ruby, that's Neo, my friend and long-time associate."

"Pleasure to meet you." She stretched her hand forward as a greeting, and the petite girl accepted it with a smile. It seemed innocent enough, but there was still something chilling about those eyes. They were cruel and fiendish, filled with lust for blood.

Hypnotized by that frightening gaze, the huntress did not notice the metallic object wrapping around her wrist. She only realized what was happening when it clicked loudly, binding her hands together. She struggled against it, but to no avail.

"Hey! What is this?"

"Sorry, sweetheart. It took me so much time to bring you here, I'm not letting you leave until my employer sees you." Roman took off his hat, and looked at her directly. He wasn't smiling anymore, no semblance of kindness or warmth in his face, just contempt.

"Employer? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Red, do I really need to spell everything out for you? I've been paid to find and capture you. You are a precious rarity, not many people can survive an encounter with an enraged witch. My employer wants to know how you did it."

The man standing there was not the same person that had travelled with her that day. He was angry, almost even disgusted by her presence. She was used to be flared at like something not-quite human, but it was different with him. It wasn't cruelty out of ignorance and close-mindedness, it stemmed from some kind of unexplained hatred. If that was the real Torchwick, who had she met at the deserted village?

"You... You lied to me?"

"Weren't you paying attention? 'Lying is what I do, darling.' And you bought every single word of it. I'd be proud, but it was almost too easy." She wanted to cry, to scream at how cheated she felt. She had cared for him, for his sorrows. Yet in front of her she saw only a monster. Had it all been a ruse? "Oh, don't look so offended. It wasn't all lies, I just adjusted some details here and there."

Despite the shackled wrists, she could still somewhat move, and that she used that freedom to retrieve the concealed knife and lunge at his throat. He would not get away with abusing her trust.

Neo intercepted the jump with a punch to her elbow, the force making the knife slip from her fingers. Then she took a knee to the stomach, and was promptly pinned down to the floor. For someone of such a small size, the bi-colored girl sure made an efficient enforcer.

"You've got spirit, Red. I respect that. But it's time you grew up. Neo, take her upstairs to our other guest."

The mini-warrior dragged her up by the chain on the handcuffs and pushed her towards the stairs, before they were interrupted.

"Wait. There's something else I want." Roman reached for her pocket, and took out the amber-colored crystal. "I heard you talk to it last night. I wonder how it works..."

"No, please!" He waved his fingers to send them away, and Ruby was forced up the steps to the second floor, with a hand clasping her mouth shut. Just before entering the room ahead, she heard two voices downstairs.

"How do you... Oh! Well, hello there. You must be Penny."

"Where's Ruby?"

"She's busy right now. I'm Roman, her travelling companion."

"Oh ok. Salutations, Roman!"

The sounds faded as she crossed the doorway, and so did the worry about what that exchange might cause. Instead, she found a new motive for panic.

On the floor was a girl, chained to the wall by the arms. Her clothes were rugged and torn, and her disheveled and dirty black hair a shadow of what it had once been. She was pale, weak, defenseless even, and didn't seem to be awake, but was at least clearly alive. Still, Ruby couldn't help but call out for her, hoping it wasn't real.

"Blake?"

The prisoner feebly moved the head up, and opened her eyes, revealing a pair of bleak golden irises.

"Ruby? They got you too?"

* * *

 **Lots of stuff happened this time. Now we know where Blake is, and what's up with Penny... or at least _some of it_. Oh and Roman, I swear that was one of the things I had the most fun writing so far.**

 **Took A LOT of liberties with Neo's redesign, she's the character I changed the most outfit-wise, since she's kind of a mystery. Also her being a fencer was because her weapon reminds me of a fencing sword, it's such a small and slender blade.**

 **I'm sure you have a lot of opinions over what transpired this chapter, so please don't forget to review with them.**


	4. Bounty Hunters

**I know you have questions about Yang and Weiss, and I apologize taking so long, but we'll get there eventually. I promise it'll be worth the wait.**

 **More importantly right now, how will Blake and Ruby get out of this one? If you were paying enough attention, you might already have an idea...**

* * *

 **4\. Bounty Hunters**

Neo pushed the archer to the floor and chained her to the wall just like her cellmate, before leaving. Now alone, the two girls started to try and piece together how they had come to that situation.

"Blake, are you hurt? Did they do something to you?"

"I'm fine, Ruby. Hungry and tired, but fine. She didn't torture me or anything. We've simply been here for a few days, waiting for something, though I'm not sure what."

"I think... you were waiting for me. They said someone paid for our capture, because we fought a witch and survived."

The lycan made a weary sigh, slumping her shoulders down.

"Weiss Schnee? That mess just won't leave us alone, will it?"

"Someone really wants us to remember… Anyway, more importantly, we need to get out of here. Can't you just transform out of those cuffs?"

"No, they're made of silver. I'm weak to silver, I can't do anything while they're on me." Ruby raised an eyebrow at the explanation. "What?"

"You never told us that..."

"Well, it's not like you were rich enough to have anything made of silver. I just never saw a reason to." When Ruby didn't appear upset at all, she felt free to continue. "But these guys, they're professionals. I was tracking a lead, trying to find you, when the little one showed up. She knew exactly how to bait and imprison me. If what you say is true, then they're probably bounty hunters, the lowliest of scum there is."

"Whatever they are, they must make mistakes, right? There has to be a way to escape."

"Unless you have any, say, knives up your sleeve, I don't think so."

"I don't, I used it to try to cut Roman's face off." She didn't specify who that name belonged to, but Blake was smart enough to figure it out. "So what do we do?"

"For now? Get some rest. If they're going to move us someplace else, they won't do it before dawn. Which gives us time to sleep for a bit. If we get an opening tomorrow, we'll need all the energy possible."

Ruby wasn't satisfied with twiddling her thumbs, but her partner was most likely right about their lack of options. Blake took her own advice to heart, and closed her eyes. Her breathing started to slow down not soon thereafter.

The exhaustion from the previous day, and all others before it, started to take its toll, and Ruby felt her own eyes grow heavy, desperately wanting to sleep. It had been a long journey, despair and adrenaline had kept her up thus far, but the overdue rest finally caught up with her. She bobbed her head up and down, trying to stay awake to come up with a plan, but just remaining conscious was all her concentration could muster. Her mind started to wander, frolicking aimlessly between past and present. Through scantly-open eyelids, she saw a little brown bunny jump in through the outside window. How had gotten in to the second floor? Was it actually really there? She didn't know, but she felt an overwhelming need to pet it. When had been the last time she had seen a rabbit and not thought to kill it for food?

When the small animal suddenly transformed into a beautiful girl, the huntress became sure she had lost her mind. She had fallen asleep and entered a strange but vivid dream, such was the only plausible explanation. Closing her eyes, she wondered what her imagination would have in store next.

A hand shook her shoulder violently, breaking her off the trance and restoring adrenaline to her veins.

"Ruby? Ruby, wake up!" The voice was real, as was the hand and the girl. She hadn't been dreaming, despite how surreal it still felt.

"Velvet?" The brunette fumbled with the handcuffs behind her back, and they released with a loud clank.

"Yes, it's me. I need you to unlock Blake's cuffs, I can't touch silver and I didn't bring gloves." She handed the archer a pair of lockpicks. "You know how to work those, right?"

"Not really."

"Oh, bollocks."

The shifter gave her a quick run-through of the mechanics, before moving on to wake up the raven-haired woman. Ruby fumbled with the tools for a while, trying to apply the theory to action, until eventually the lock surrendered with a satisfying metallic shriek.

"Velvet? What are you doing here?" Blake rubbed her wrists, reveling in the sensation of freedom.

"I told you I was chasing a bounty hunter down. Well, imagine my surprise when I find Ruby just hanging out with him!"

"He seemed nice..." She rubbed the back of her neck, still disappointed in herself for being tricked by Roman's mischievous charms.

"He's a dangerous man, and plenty of people would like to see him pay for what he's done. But I assume you already got that, right?" There was no trace of malice or anger in the shifter's voice. She was calm and in control, an attitude Ruby admired considering the situation.

"Yep. Do you have a plan?"

"I go down there, restrain him and bring him in. You two leave this place and run. How's that sound?"

Blake seemed eager to accept the suggestion, but Ruby still had unfinished business with the dirtbag.

"No way, we're coming along. There's two of them and three of us, don't throw away the advantage. Also Torchwick has something of mine that I need back."

The brunette nodded reluctantly.

"Fine. You two take him, I'll handle the partner. No killing, I need him alive. He's just a human, so it shouldn't be much of a problem. No offense to you, Ruby."

"None taken."

"Wait, is the partner a threat? I thought she was human too." Blake manifested surprise at the plan.

"Honestly, we don't know much about her, so it's just a precaution."

They all nodded in agreement, ready to start the fight. Ruby became acutely aware that she had no weapons, both the bow and knife stored downstairs, and would therefore not be of much use until after retrieving them, especially when teaming up with two creatures of fighting prowess.

The three girls motioned towards the stairs, and Velvet suddenly vanished out of thin air. It took them a moment to notice the tiny butterfly flying ahead. Certainly a peculiar choice for a brawl, but the shifter no doubt had her reasons, and so Blake and Ruby resumed walking downstairs.

Neo and Roman were sitting with their backs turned, creating a convenient opening. The archer located her tools and quietly gestured that she would go to retrieve them. One step after another she tiptoed across the wooden floor, trying to keep it from creaking as much as possible. Her breath itched and she froze when the planks under her feet cried out, but neither one of the kidnappers seemed to notice, meaning they were asleep. Ruby neared the table at last, and quickly grabbed the bow and quiver. She failed to see the knife slipping out from the table until it was too late, promptly falling on the ground with a loud noise just as she was about to grab it.

The pink-haired woman jumped from her chair and rotated towards them. Leaning down, she produced a slender fencing rapier from the inside of her left knee-high boot, where she no doubt had a hidden sheath, otherwise the small blade would bite her skin with every step. Before she could attack, however, the little insect that had taken flight in that direction turned back into human-form whilst mid-air, tackling the bounty hunter at high speed. The two of them crashed together against the nearest wall, breaking its wooden planks with the force of the impact. The whole structure creaked and shook, foreshadowing its demise.

Seeing the impending collapse of the building, crumbling without the much needed support of the destroyed wall, the short-haired youngster picked up the hunting tools and ran, along with Roman and Blake, trying to get outside to safety as logs fell from above their heads. It didn't take long before the building had been reduced to rubble, and the three survivors silently stared at it, a truce fed by worry about their comrades trapped underneath.

The remains of the shelter roared and rumbled, before a large brown bear leapt from within. Neo was holding on to its mane with her legs, punching it in the face at every opportunity. The huge animal charged away, and the two fighters disappeared over the horizon.

Once peace had been disturbed, and the shock about that strange sight dispelled, Blake jumped to the floor and transformed into a panther instantaneously, ready to pounce at her prey. Ruby pushed an arrow against the bowstring, and pointed it to the foe, who was nervously backing up.

"Ladies, we can work this out! It was just a job, no hard feelings, right?" He kept backstepping until he hit the rubble, cornered between them and the house.

The lycan roared as a response and ran up to him baring her teeth. Unfortunately, the man wasn't as trapped as they were led to believe, and he retrieved a sizable chunk of wood from behind, which was promptly used to bludgeon the approaching animal in the face. She whimpered in pain as the hit sent her tumbling back.

Next, he dodged to the side just in time to avoid the sharp projectile that was aimed at his leg. The chuckle that followed made the silver-eyed girl's blood boil. There was a twisted smile of superiority on his lips, like he was enjoying the sadistic rush provided by the fight. He was toying with her! She swore to make him regret thinking she wasn't a threat.

The black-furred beast learned her lesson and moved in with caution, avoiding the large club. She was crawling near the ground, waiting for the opening the man refused to provide. He held the makeshift weapon defensively, content to play the waiting game with them. He might've even been confident that his partner would soon return to help.

If no opportunity was given, Blake decided to create one. Leaping forward, she feigned an attack that would obviously miss, baiting the foe into assuming she was vulnerable. He fell for that exactly, and lifted the log behind his back, but before it could come crashing down a single arrow struck it, disturbing his movement with enough force to break the grip he had on it. The stick fell, and disarmed he was unable to prevent the panther to jump at him, pinning his body to the floor with her immense weight.

"Blake! Velvet said we need him alive!"

The lycan groaned in dissatisfaction, like a kid that lost their favorite toy, before striking his head with a clawless paw, knocking Roman out cold. After the satisfying sensation of removing that monstrous smirk from his face, she climbed out and moved away from the body.

The red-hooded huntress ran to the fallen enemy's side, desperately scouring through his pockets. Behind her, she heard her friend shift back to human and then get dressed again, as nudity was the unfortunate effect of transformation. Ruby kept digging, trying to find where he had stored the trinket. If it wasn't in his person, then it would be under the demolished building, therefore chances of finding it were next to null. Luckily, just before her hope had completely drained, she felt a protrusion on the side of his jacket. And there it was, a hidden inner pocket, and the amber-colored stone inside.

Ruby blew a wisp of air onto the crystal and placed it down on the floor in a hurry, kneeling in front of it. She counted every second until the magical transmission began, each one weighing further in her heart. She needed to check on her friend, assure her everything was fine and assess the damage caused by the ginger man. When the image appeared, she discovered she wasn't ready for what it revealed.

"WHAT DO YOU WA-" Penny stopped screaming as soon as her mind registered who it was on the other side. Her eyes widened, revealing intensely red pupils. Her face was still wet from the tears that had recently rolled down her cheeks. Her hair was a mess, but not as much as she was. "R-Ruby? Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me, Penny. I'm right here. I don't know what Roman told you, but it was a lie."

"I thought you were..." The girl began sobbing again, incapable of enduring the memory.

 _...dead_

Something broke inside of the huntress that moment. She had never seen the redhead cry, and it was more than she could handle. It took all her willpower, and then some, not to join Penny in her tears.

"It's okay. I'm okay. Nothing happened to me, he was lying. I'm safe, you don't have to worry."

"I don't have to worry? What else can I do but worry? Ruby, I'm begging you, please come back home." The girl paused to breathe, and a hiccup fled her throat. In that storm of emotions, she was no longer weeping, but was still shaken beyond measure. "I'm so tired. Tired of waking up every morning alone in this house. Of spending the entire day wondering where you are and if you're okay. Of knowing you're putting yourself in danger for me. I don't know if I can keep doing this."

"I can't give up now, I'm so close!"

"And what if you don't make it? What if next time someone captures you, you can't escape? How would I even know if something happened to you?" The archer couldn't find it in herself to answer, every one of those words crushing her spirit even further. She wanted nothing more than to return, to stop chasing shadows and simply lead a calm life back home. But if she gave up now, then all the pain and hardships they had endured would've been for naught. And Penny would still be...

Blake, who had been listening from a distant corner, took the silence as an opportunity to join the conversation. She didn't want to intrude, but those two clearly needed a level-head to help sort out those emotions, so she took a few steps forward until the stone's magic could detect her face.

"Nothing will happen to her, Penny. I'll make sure of it." Her voice was confident, contrasting with the frail tones heard thus far.

"Blake? It's you! Oh, I'm so glad you're there!" The lycan and former-statue shared a peculiar bond, creatures living amongst humans, even if one had forsaken the heritage.

"We just met up. And if Ruby says we're almost there, I promise I'll keep her out of trouble for a little while longer." She smiled warmly, reassuring the pleading girl. However strong the huntress might be, having a massive panther by her side made any journey far safer, as they all knew well. If the raven-clad woman had made such a promise, neither of them could argue in return.

"Hey, Ruby, mind if I have a word with Blake alone?"

The short-haired archer nodded and stepped away. Roman was still knocked out on the floor. She swallowed her resentment, suppressing to will to kick him in the ribs and run the risk of waking him up. Luckily a new noise came to distract her.

Velvet was returning from afar, dragging with the inert body of her opponent. She was bruised, and had blood stains on multiple body parts, but otherwise looked fine. She even bore a victorious smile.

"She was a tough one. Hadn't faced someone who put up that much of a fight in a long time." The shifter looked happy, like the brawl had been a much-needed workout.

Blake appeared from the back, and returned the crystal to its owner without a word.

"All right, good job, ladies. I can take it from here. Thank you." The brunette pointed to the unconscious duo, suggesting that the girls could leave, and she would handle the rest on her own.

That business was beyond them, so Ruby and the lycan shared their goodbyes, eager to start the hunt again, this time together. But not before one last piece of banter.

"Hey, Velvet, how's that bartender woman?"

"Oh, she's wonderful. You were right, I should've asked her out sooner."

The panther-girl's eyes bulged out in surprise.

"Wait, you and Coco?"

* * *

Penny put the gloves on and strapped the satchel over her shoulder, ensuring it was secure. Inside were the basic provisions and necessities required for the task ahead. Breathing in the refreshing air outside, she stepped forward, closing the door after her.

She glanced at the home she was leaving behind with a tinge of regret. It had been the place that had given her hope, sheltered her when she was lost, and offered a friendly hand when she knew no one in that harsh and unforgiving world. She had created many joyous memories in that building, yet they weren't because of the house, but the people that had once inhabited it. And she no longer wished to be the sole resident of those now sad empty walls.

She would no longer stand by while others risked skin and bone for her sake. Confident, the ginger girl walked on and didn't look back.


	5. Moonshine

**Fun fact: There was originally a chapter before this one where Ruby and Blake visited Sun, who was sort of an hermit living in the swamp. It was cut because it was pretty much just filler, with no relevance to the plot.**

* * *

 **5\. Moonshine**

"Ruby, can you please stop?"

The huntress ceased walking and looked back at her companion.

"Everything okay? We can take a minute if you need to rest."

"No, everything's not okay! We've been walking for days and you barely talk to me. I can see something is eating you up inside and I refuse to take another step until you tell me what's wrong." There was worry pooling over in her golden eyes.

"I just really want to find the witch. She shouldn't be too far ahead and the more we wait, the bigger the chance she'll slip away again."

"But why? Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean why? I'm doing this to help Penny!" Ruby was screaming indignantely. Where was she trying to get with that line of questioning?

"And you help her by running away? I understand the sentiment more than you can imagine, but she needs you by her side now more than ever. I could've tracked down the Schnee myself, but you insisted in being the one to do it."

"And let you go alone? You could've been hurt, and had no one to help you. We didn't have Yan-"

"Yang made her choice. And you made yours. You preferred to leave Penny, who is in pain and scared, alone rather than me. I simply don't understand why." Blake cut her off instantly at the mention of her sister's name. There was still bad blood there, for both of them.

Ruby was at the verge of tears yet again. It seemed like every step she took, something tried to test her emotional resolve. She struggled to decide on what to say next, and in that absence of thought she inadvertedly permitted a slip of the tongue.

"I just can't lose her again!"

"Again? But Penny's always been..." The huntress opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with her hands, trying to prevent anything else from coming out. "You're talking about someone else, aren't you?"

She nodded without making eye contact, and was rewarded with a strange quietness. The lycan shuffled around her satchel and retrieved an object from inside that she proceeded to hand over. It was a bottle filled with a clear pristine liquid that appeared to be water, but she knew it wouldn't be.

"Moonshine. I was saving it for celebrating the successful mission but I get the feeling you could use a drink right now. Might make talking about it easier."

Ruby uncorked it and took a swig. The alcohol set her mouth and throat ablaze, and she started coughing violently, trying not to drop or spill the bottle with the convulsions. Blake took it back and drank some herself, before suggesting they sit down and camp for the day. When the silver-eyed huntress had recovered and they were confortably set up, she began explaining.

"Did Yang ever tell you what happened to our mom?"

"She mentioned that you had different mothers... And that both died a long time ago."

"Yang's mom died giving birth, so I never even met her. But mine lived with us for most of our childhood. Until one day she got sick, and no one knew why." The lycan understood instantly where that conversation was headed, and insisted that both of them took another sip of the bottle. "She died because we didn't know what to do. Because we only stood by her side while she withered away."

There was a deep silence between them, even nature inaudible in reverence to those words.

"So you understand now, right? It's the exact same thing that's happening with Penny. I can't just sit by doing nothing, I can't allow her to die just like mom."

"And that's why you ran... I'm sorry, Ruby. I didn't know."

"It's okay. How could you know?"

The bottle passed around and they both drank generously, leaving it around half. The raven-haired lycan seemed unchanged, but Ruby could already start to feel her head becoming lighter. With all that had transpired as of late, it was somewhat of a welcome change, so she drank some more, much to the bewilderment of her companion. It still burned like the fiery pits of hell, but her senses were getting dulled to the point that the flaming alcohol was the best sensation available.

"Are you sure you should keep going? Your face is getting awfully red."

"So what? Red is my color, it suits me. Maybe I should paint myself entirely red. It would be so creepy, it would look like I was covered in blood. Maybe I could scare Penny like that. Oh no, Penny... Now I made myself sad. Aaaanyway, I'm fine, you're the one who should be drinking more!"

Blake stared at her with an unbelieving look, failing to understand how one could become so quickly affected by the alcohol. The petite archer really wasn't used to liquor, and was evidently uncapable of holding it in for long. It was pretty damn funny, though.

"All right, if I'm going to babysit drunk-you, might as well have some fun as well I guess." The bottle was now down to a quarter, and both girls were laughing a whole lot more than usual, even if most of it came from the huntress.

"I like you Blake. You're a fun person. And cute. Especially your ears, they're so frickin adorable! I just wanna pet them all the time."

"Hmm, thanks?"

"You know who else is cute?"

"Penny?" She tried to guess, but, as it turned out, that wasn't very effective against Ruby's innebriated state.

"No, me! Why would you say that? _Gasp…_ Do you have feeling for Penny?" Her silver eyes were wide and deeply insulted.

"No. Do you?

"Maaaaaaybe. I don't know. I like her, but I never really thought about any girls like that. Or boys. Or anything. Does that make me weird? I might be weird."

"No, Ruby, that's not weird at all. Some people aren't attracted to other people, or only very rarely. It varies from case to case I guess. It only matters how you feel about her in specific, not the whole human race."

"Sorry, what are we talking about?"

Blake shrugged, the booze starting to get to her head as well. "Hell if I know."

"Doesn't the sun look pretty today? Don't you just love the sun, Blake?"

"Ruby, that's the m... ah sure, why not, it looks wonderful."

Conversation did not progress much further from that point, but the final stretch for the bottle's contents was travelled soon thereafter. They babbled on for hours on end, some parts more coherent than others.

"And then Yatsuhashi kicked us out because you started to try to pet customers!"

"They looked cute!"

They ended up falling asleep while huddling for warmth, deep into the night, partially blacked out due to drunkeness. Would either of them remember the entirety of the evening was uncertain, and the results of their folly would no doubt come to reap in due time, but joy had to be found wherever one could in those murky times.

Even if that very same joy was fated to inevitably turn to ashes.

* * *

Penny walked tirelessly through the dark swamp, confident that she was nearing the destination. No matter how arduous the trip might have been, nothing could make her determination waver. She would no longer be passive and alone.

The inn appeared in the distance, reinforcing her smile. It had taken all her persuasion, and a little bit of begging, to get Blake to provide her with the location, but she had made it at last.

Approaching the door, she was stopped under the plaque that read _The White Fang_ by one of the bouncers, a large man with tanned skin and thick muscled arms.

"What are you doing here, little girl? Did you get lost?" His tone was angry and not at all inviting.

The former-statue almost flinched at the condescending words. Sure, she looked young and innocent, but that was just the face she had been given, and she was far from a little girl. Removing the glove and rolling the left sleeve of her shirt up to the elbow, she made sure the foolish guard bulged his eyes open at the sight.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know. You can go right on in."

Penny nodded with satisfaction and straightened the sleeve back down before entering. The inside was noisy and filled with more people than she'd ever seen, as well as kinds of people unbeknowst to her. Her green eyes flashed through the room trying to locate the one she had been instructed to meet. As it turned out, the woman found her instead.

"Excuse me, do you need something?" A feminine voice called out from behind, and she turned to find a brunette woman with full leather armor and kind eyes.

"Are you Velvet?"

"I am. And you must be Penny. Follow me."

They walked through the tables scattered throughout the place, and all the way to the farthest corner, where a set of stairs led to a dark basement. Velvet stopped, and offered her a rusted key.

"He's in the last door on the right." The shifter then walked away with a smile, leaving her to face the descent alone.

She climbed down into a moss-splatered hall with many doors, all of which had bars akin to prison cells. She suspected that was exactly what they were. A lone torch sitting in the middle was the only light source around, apart from the feeble glow from within the cells due to their own fires.

The ginger girl reached the final door, and slid in the key, which rotated easily and opened the lock. Inside was an equally ginger man shackled to the wall by the arms and feet, in a standing position that looked quite uncomfortable. _Good._

"Hello again, Roman."

"Hey, you're Red's girlfriend! Penny, wasn't it?" He spoke as if they were old acquaintances and he wasn't handcuffed, trying to gain points for good behavior, she guessed.

 _Girlfriend? Was that really how she talked about me? No, focus Penny! Now is not the time!_

"I have a few questions for you." She made a menacing grimace to punctuate the demand. Well, she tried to. It was more of an _awkward_ grimace.

"Oh, do you? And what do I have to gain from it?"

Once again, Penny removed the gloves and rolled up her sleeves, this time both of them, stepping forward so he could see. Just like the one before, Torchwick's face grew pale with dread as soon as he understood.

Her left hand and arm were white as milk, far lighter than her skin tone. Because they were not, in fact, skin, but stone. Clear and solid marble, from her fingers to the joint of the elbow there was nothing human about it. Lifting both hands in the air, the flesh one and the stone one, she offered him a choice.

"Well, I could help you get out of here..." She lowered the open human hand, leaving only the clenched statue first. "...or I could hurt you a whole lot."

She prayed he wouldn't call her on that bluff. Despite being created to destroy, she had struggled to overcome that monster inside and become something better, purer. And besides, he was defenseless, it wasn't even a fair fight. Luckily, he wasn't feeling like much of a gambler.

"Ok, I'm all yours. What do you want to know?"

"Why were you after my friends?"

"Easy, I was paid to bring them in. The people I work for wanted a word with them.

"And who are those people you work for?"

"Wrong question, darling. There's something you should be much more worried about than who they are."

"And what is that?" She suspected he was trying to silver-tongue his way out of answering, but she humored him on the off-change he actually had good Intel. Which he did.

"Who they're going to send after your friends next."

* * *

"Ma'am? Are you okay?"

Ruby woke up to the booming sound of her own skull attempting suicide. She felt weak, cold, and was lying on the hard dirt ground, but the worst part was definitely the headache. Trying liquor with Yang had never gone farther than a few sips, so she hadn't been ready for the consequences. Attempting to open her eyes let in an overwhelming barrage of light, therefore she opted to close them again. Maybe if she kept lying down she could fade into nothingness, or at least sleep away the pain, even if the thumping in her head threatened to drive her insane well before that.

"Ma'am? Did you hear me?"

There it was, that sound again. Someone was trying to talk to the huntress, and it wasn't a recognizable voice. She endured the blinding whiteness of the outside world, and tried to shuffle to her feet. Her arms faltered when she lifted her torso off the floor, and she fell face first again. In response, the headache became much worse.

"Hey, easy there. Here, drink this."

Ruby accepted the leather flask placed against her lips, praying it wasn't more alcohol. She never wanted to see that wicked stuff again.

Her throat revelled in the refreshing liquid that poured down, the much needed water to soothe her hangover. Feeling reinvigorated, she tried getting up again, and after a few tries managed to succeed despite weakened muscles. As soon as she became vertical, her stomach cried out with nausea, and there was barely time to bend over to the side before her burning entrails started to rage within and forced her to throw up. A hand held her steady, and patted her on the back until the storm calmed down.

Her eyes met her savior at last, starting from the form-fitting white pants to a short and revealing green top that exposed, among other things, her toned midriff, all the way to her disgusted but sympathetic smile. The foreign-looking girl, both in outfit and complexion, had dark-skin, with short green-ish hair and vivid cherry-red eyes.

"Looks like you had a pretty rough night, huh?"

She was only now piecing together the hazed memories of the previous night, when an absence became jarringly off-setting.

"Hav..." Her coarse mouth failed to create clear sound, but she tried again. "Have you seen my friend?"

"The black-haired one? Yeah, we found her a little further up, she's with my partner recovering at our house. Maybe I should take you to her."

The red-hooded archer nodded gratefully, and allowed the other to support her arm over the shoulder. They walked like that, the green-haired girl serving as a crutch to compensate for her vulnerable state.

"So, what's your name?"

"Ruby."

"Oh that's cool, we're both named after gems! My name is Emerald."

* * *

 **So yeah, you guessed it, the title is pretty damn literal. Penny IS returning to marble.**

 **Also I don't mean to make this into an unnecessary cliffhanger, but the next chapter will take a little longer to go up. The next part of the story is having some issues, and I need to work them out before posting any further. Also I started writing a Renora one-shot for MonCon, so that's getting in the way as well.**

 **I'm sorry for the inconvenience, as always feel free to complain about it in the reviews, or to say whatever you wish to. I'm always happy to read input.**


	6. Second Chance

**Hey, I'm baaaack. This one was a real pain to write, I barely touched it for a whole week because I was struggling so hard.**

 **In fact, I wrote some parts under such sleep deprivation that when I was proof-reading I found a line that said "[Blake] then transformed into a pirate".  
**

* * *

 **6\. Second Chance**

The house was simple but robust, a step up from the shack they had been previously holed up on. It had plenty of utility furniture, almost making it look like a home were it not for the cobwebs and dust. Considering the company they'd last had, Ruby assumed they were just squatting, which only served to further her mistrust of the hosts. Or she would come to assume all of that, but only after the hangover eased, releasing her from the headache.

Emerald seemed the friendly sort, but memory of Roman's betrayal was still too fresh. Her partner on the other hand... not so much. He had the wicked smile of someone who kicked puppies for fun.

When they reached the hut, the archer had been reunited with Blake, who, much like herself, wasn't looking particularly healthy, and met the man named Mercury. He had grey hair, despite being far too young for it to be natural, and an outfit to match. She sure seemed to keep finding individuals with peculiar hair colors, probably dyed. In comparison, her red tips looked absolutely normal.

The first impression caused by Mercury was of an athletic man, with a lean body and well-defined muscles. If her suspicions were correct, he would be well-versed in combat, otherwise maybe a lumberjack could explain the ripped arms and torso. Unlike Emerald, he hadn't even made an attempt to be pleasant, sitting somewhere between annoyed by their presence and pretending they weren't there at all. At least Ruby was sure it wasn't an act, unlike his sweet-tongued partner.

She tried to keep an eye on the hosts while she rested, but the drain on her strength was urging her to drop it. The comfortable bed she had been laid on was also not helping, and she eventually fell asleep.

* * *

The house was dead-quiet when the short-haired girl woke up. It was still sunny outside, but the hours spent in the land of dreams had driven off the booming headache and restored most of her strength. The most immediate urges she felt now were hunger and the need to alleviate her bladder.

Exiting the room, she crossed the hall to the outside door, stopping along the way at the sound of Blake's soft snoring. It was comforting to hear that her companion was okay. She slipped out of the hut and made her way to the outhouse that sat apart from the rest of the building. Inside, she took care of the necessary business, and then left with intent to head back.

Before she did, a sound caught her attention. Two people were talking outside, the two hosts, giving her the perfect opportunity to assert if they were truly trustworthy. Sneaking over the corner, she eavesdropped on the conversation while remaining out of sight.

"I know, but couldn't you pick someone less annoying?" That was the man, Mercury.

"We just have to keep them around for a day or two until Cinder arrives. Don't get any ideas."

 _Cinder? Keep them around?_

"Huh, you're always such a suck-up, Em. Cinder this, Cinder that, when will you understand you don't have a chance with her?" That elicited a violent response from the dark-skinned girl.

"You don't know tha- _Ahem_ I mean, shut up Mercury. And no, for the last time you can't kill one of the hostages. Our orders are to keep them alive unless strictly necessary."

Ruby had heard all she needed, and her suspicions had been confirmed: they were hostages, held prisoner until the arrival of that Cinder-person, probably the same one responsible for the incident with Torchwick. She ran back inside and hurried to the room where her lycan friend was.

Waking her up, the huntress explained the situation and urged them to leave as soon as possible. Together they grabbed their things, which because of the friendly facade included her weapons, and trailed off silently to the escape point. Yet when they reached it, it was already too late.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mercury was just out the door, staring with a menacing grimace. Emerald wasn't too far behind, and didn't look much more satisfied.

"We hmm... felt better and didn't want to intrude any further?"

"Nice try. Get back inside now." His voice was dripping with animosity, but that was to be expected.

"We want to leave. Are you going to stop us?" Blake raised her tone, trying to get across that she wasn't one to be trifled with, but the captors didn't seem to care. Mercury raised both fists in the air, widening his feet into a combat stance and Emerald retrieved two knives from the back of her belt, before mirroring her partner's pose. "I guess that's a yes."

The lycan took off her shirt and threw it to Ruby, who in her surprise almost didn't catch it.

"Can you hold that for me? I'll need it after beating these guys." It was a remark so cocky it would've made Yang proud.

She then transformed into a panther, and she wasted no time to attack the captors. When she went for Mercury, he backstepped out of her grasp, and delivered a kick to her head.

Ruby and Emerald stayed behind, observing the mesmerizing fight before them. For every strike there was a counter, interrupted by expert and consecutive dodges to the many feinted blows. It was an intricate dance of equivalent exchange, no flair in their struggle but a certain elegance to the fact that they both stood on equal footing, which was undoubtedly an impressive feat considering one of them was twice as large as the other. The scale of the lycan's panther form didn't reduce her heightened agility, yet the silver-haired man was able to match her prowess. A well-placed kick followed by a pirouette back and he was impenetrable again, truly a brilliant adept of martial arts.

After the initial daze was dispelled over time, both girls figured out there was a conflict between them still. Facing one another, they circled at a distance, wondering who would make the first play. The standstill didn't last, as Ruby grew weary of waiting and knocked an arrow against the bowstring, before releasing it at high velocity. The red-eyed woman dodged to the side, and used the opening to close in further, since her weapons weren't meant for long range. The huntress responded by pointing the next shots ahead of her feet, disrupting the advance of the enemy. She managed to take one single step back, trying to regain ground, but her back hit the house they had come out of. Emerald, realizing she was going to have a hard time getting in range, lifted her arm behind her back and threw one of her daggers at the brunette.

The knife flew in between them, and Ruby just narrowly dodged it, feeling the air whistle right past her side. Now that the female foe was targeting her directly, staying still in one place was no longer sustainable, so she dashed to the left, trying to become a scarcer target. Yet when she did, something strained her throat, forbidding movement. The blade that missed had pinned her cloak to the wall. She was going to yank it out, but something caught her attention, a faint glimmer on the iron edge.

 _Poison_. And a fast acting one, considering how it was beginning to corrode the cloth around. It was probably meant to bite into flesh, festering through the blood stream to spread and burn through the whole body, a nasty and painful way to die. Emerald really did have no remorse after all. Luckily, the fact that it was burning the cape made it easier for the girl to free herself from the binds.

The time she took to do so did not, however, go unnoticed by the rest of the fighters, who all noticed she was wide open for an attack. The green-haired trickster smiled twistedly and threw the other knife at the vulnerable back. Blake leapt to tackle her partner to safety, but she was too late. The blade spun through the air, almost slowing down time itself, on the way to the archer.

Ruby heard a blood-chilling scream, and turned to see the large panther on the ground in front of her, a dagger carved into her abdomen.

 _NO!_

Mercury closed in on the fallen enemy, wanting to finish the job, and his over-confidence nearly cost him his life. Blake was hurt, but a hurt and cornered animal fights with tenfold strength, the will to survive overcoming all else. She swiped her claws at his leg, drawing blood from the scratched skin. He tried to back away as the lycan kept up the pressure, attacking at every opening with desperate wails. It was noticeable that he was panicking, the calm and cocky demeanor thrown off by the unexpected assault.

The archer stood frozen, incapable of processing the insidious turn of events, or to fire at the enemy in between her companion's erratic pattern of movement.

Emerald unsheathed yet another blade from behind her back, the third and final one, and tossed it to her partner who promptly snapped it out of the air without more than a glance. Brandishing the dagger to his front, he succeeded in making the animal recoil, recognizing the venomous substance already taking roots in her system. The next time she dared to claw at him, he sidestepped the strike and stuck the edge on her forearm. And again she filled everyone's ears with the piercing sound of her agonized howls.

When the lycan recovered and prepared to counter attack, Mercury had already started running away. As he went sprinting out, he shouted back.

"Em, let's go!" Ruby tried her best to block out what he shouted next, but the words seared into her mind regardless.

 _"She's already dead."_

Blake chased them as they fled, growling at their fading silhouettes, but was unable to catch up. Her open wounds were pouring out, leaving a red trail behind her. Her condition was getting clearly becoming critical.

The huntress watched helplessly as her friend limped back, and painfully turned back into human, only to fall on her open arms. The lycan coughed and blood came out, revealing deep internal injuries. The poison was destroying her with haste.

 _"She's already dead."_

Together, they made it to the inside of the house, where the raven-haired girl put her shirt on again and was placed on top of the bed. The white linen was starting to become crimson, but neither of them cared.

Ruby tried her best to remember any first aid knowledge she had learned through the years. Running outside, she gathered as much water as she could to clean the girl. With a piece of clean cloth she found, she proceeded to wet it and press against the maimed body, despite the cries of pain the action warranted. Blake's satchel had a soothing ointment that she applied to the infected areas, hoping it still was as effective as she recalled. Then she covered them with bandages made from ripped fabric of the bedding, in an attempt to stop any further bleeding.

The immediate care done, she put all her efforts on calming the burning fever ravaging the panther-woman. She was pushing her endurance to the edge, running to and fro trying to take care of her friend's worrying state, but she didn't even notice the tiredness creeping in. All that mattered was Blake, who wasn't looking at all better, her face pale and her body shivering.

 _"She's already dead."_

There was nobody they could call for help, no one that would arrive in time to make a difference. Isolated for countless acres, fate rested solely on their weary hands.

Changing bandages and providing further aid, it would be a long night. As hour went by, the huntress found herself praying, something she had never done before. Praying that her companion would recover.

* * *

"Ruby?"

The silver-eyed girl was torn from her slumber by the frail voice calling her name. As she regained awareness, she scolded herself for falling asleep when she was supposed to be taking care of Blake.

"How are you feeling?"

She somehow looked even worse than before, skin pale as milk, veins visible underneath, and bags under her blood-shot eyes. She glimmered with sweat, and spoke very feebly, like every word was another needle in her haystack of pain.

"Like my insides are furiously stabbing me." That was not a good sign, the poison had to still be flowing through her body.

"You need to rest. You'll be better in the morning, you just need to pull through for a little longer!"

"Ruby, don't lie to me. I'm..." A coughing fit shook her on the bed, and the archer offered some water to calm it down. "I'm not going to make it."

"Don't say that! You'll be fine, you have to believe it!"

"We've seen some pretty unbelievable things, I'll give you that. I mean, witches and statues that come to life, even for my kind it was incredible. But this time there's no magic to save me."

"Blake..." Tears had begun streaming down the huntress' face.

"No, let me finish. I've seen many things, but I've also learned that there are no third chances. I spent my whole life running..." Pain coursed through her body, and she took a few seconds before continuing. "...and you were my second chance. You, Penny and Yang. I'm glad I didn't run this time. At least I managed to keep my promise."

The archer couldn't bear to answer. Saying goodbye to her friend was too difficult. She thought the agony would shatter her, but she stayed strong.

"Tell Yang I'm sorry... I wish it had gone differently, but I forgive her."

"I will."

The dark-haired lycan moved a hand from under the blanket, and sought Ruby's. With regretful understanding, she grabbed her fingers and held on to them as hard as she could. She would stay firm and give sanctuary if that was what the fading girl needed, regardless of how difficult it undoubtedly was going to be.

She held her hand when Blake screamed with excruciating pain, offering words of comfort since she could offer little else.

She held her hand when the girl begged for it to be over, for the venom to finally end the suffering.

She held her hand when the agony subsided, and nothing could be heard but frantic gasping for air.

She held her hand when her friend expired one last time, and left the land of the living.

Only then, alone and in shambles, did Ruby allow herself to grieve. And the emptiness she let in swallowed her whole.

* * *

...

Everything was silent.

Everything was dark.

And it hurt.

It hurt so much.

There was nothing left to do but cry...

* * *

...

Ruby was alone. More alone than she'd ever felt.

She screamed until her throat burned and refused to work. She didn't want to go on.

Why bother?

Why try, if the world refused to play fair?

No matter how hard she demanded, the stillness of the night offered no answer to her questions.

She cried until sleep came for her.

* * *

She woke up on the cold hard ground outside. Dirt was scratched and torn beside her, in what distinctly looked like a fresh grave. She had no recollection of digging it, but no one else could have. Looking down, she also saw there was a black piece of cloth in her hand, the ribbon that Blake had once used atop her head as a bow.

Despite her feeble muscles aching and trembling, she got up on one knee and faced her friend's final resting place.

 _I'm so sorry. It's all my fault._

Her eyes had dried by then, yet they burned like she was still in tears.

 _I don't know if I can keep going without you here. It's not like before. This time I know you won't be back._

Her throat was clenched in an intricate knot, threatening to keep her from breathing ever again.

 _But I have to. I have to keep moving forward. For Penny. For you._

She got up on her feet, and tied the ribbon around her wrist. That way Blake would always be with her. Swallowing hard the bile in her mouth, Ruby walked away with stride. It's what the lycan would've wanted, for life to continue.

 _Forgive me._


	7. Two Strangers

**7\. Two Strangers**

The moon was already running high, but Ruby kept walking. Moving forward was the only way she had to distract herself from the grief that threatened to render her useless. She could not give up on her mission and have the sacrifice of her friend be for nothing. There would be time to mourn later. Her legs were engaged in a steady rhythm, almost automatic from any form of thought. Her sight had adjusted to the darkness, allowing the moonlight to be the only guidance necessary. That advantage, however, soon turned weakness, when the glow of fires started appearing ahead.

The red-hooded girl stopped moving, and tried to assert the situation. The yellow plains she had been crossing, filled by abandoned and dying plantations, led into a conglomerate of houses, too little to be a community, probably once inhabited by a single but large family. What was strange about it was that, unlike the places she had passed so far, signs of life could be seen from a distance. There were torches to provide lighting at the late hour, and many individuals pacing back and forth, somehow sparkling under the orange light. Could it be armor the reason they glimmered? No, that would be very, very problematic. Full metal armor meant she was up against the Royal Army, and they were synonym with bad news.

She sneakily veered closer, ever so slowly, minding each sound made near to avoid being caught by surprise, much like a small animal skittishly tried to smell an intruding presence for danger. The further she went the more undeniable it became, the chain-link armor, the helmets covering most of the head and face, the painted round shields with the King's crest and the short swords, they were a segment of the military. Anger started boiling under her skin at the sight. She hated the army with all her might.

The military was a bad omen to small villages. It meant drafts that stole away the fighting youth, male and female, usually never to be seen again, or rations, since they had authority to request food in exchange for nothing, to help "the efforts of war". If the peasants failed to comply, it could get worse. The most vile of the men could kidnap, rape and murder with impunity, and didn't frequently only because that left them with no one to grow the provisions they would later rob. Some people still bought into the songs of valor and heroics of the military, but those were fools who couldn't see the real world for what it was.

Ruby knew of all these things only from second hand. Her village survived undamaged because they used to have a resident magician, and common soldiers weren't keen on meddling with supernatural affairs. No, they were too busy fighting absurd wars over border territories and feuds between lords. They were good for nothing but the occasional betting scam Yang used to run on them, one which the overly-aggressive fools always fell for. But worst of all, they were the ones that had taken her father away from her.

Their presence there was concerning, but not solely for matters of the archer's safety. If they were there, they were ransacking the place clean, which meant not a single clue left to find. If she wanted to be sure there were no traces to follow, she would need to search the houses before they were picked clean. And that meant stepping right into the wolves' den.

Hiding her silhouette in the dried crops on the field, by crouching until she could barely see, she moved methodically to the center of that scenario, one little and careful step at a time. Once there, she located a house that appeared less crowded by the soldier patrols, and made a break for it.

The archer glanced at both sides to ensure no one had yet noticed her presence, and pressed her body hard against the wall. The boards on the outer side were loose and spaced enough so that she could climb, and not need to barge in through the main entrance. She hoisted herself up and started to make the ascension to the upper floor window, fully aware that if someone was to catch her now, she'd be completely vulnerable.

Luckily no such thing came to pass before she succeeded in entering the building. Once inside, she hurriedly tried to find any possible leftover clues. Scurrying through the furniture, Ruby completely failed to notice the soldier who was entering the room.

"Hey, what are you doing? You're not supposed to be here."

Caught red-handed, she turned and flashed her eyes through the place trying to come up with an escape plan. The spacing was tight, meaning the armored man could effortlessly block her if she tried for the front door. Maybe if she was fast enough she could get to the window before he...

"Ruby?" The girl hadn't recognized the voice before, entranced by the panic, but this time, calling her name, there was no way it could be mistaken.

"Yang?"

The soldier took off the weighty helmet, letting long golden locks flow out around her neck. She looked just the same despite the full-body armor, with a beaming jovial smile and violet eyes full of spark.

"I can't believe it, it is you! How have you been, little sis?" She walked forward with open arms, expecting a warm sibling reunion, but...

 _SMACK_

Yang stumbled back in shock, touching the reddened cheek as if struggling to believe it was real. She faced her sibling with a confused look, and what she saw staring back was an expression of utter betrayal.

"How could you?"

"Ruby, I-"

"We needed you. We needed you and you left. And you joined THE ARMY? After everything? After what happened to dad?"

The blonde patiently waited for the other to finish, and then retrieved a small object from the pouch that hanged from her uniform belt, before throwing it over. Ruby caught it skillfully, and inspected it with disbelief. It was a small golden shield, smaller than her palm, with dulled edges but surprisingly well-polished. At the center lied an inscription.

" _Captain Xiao Long_. Is this..."

"Dad's. Why do you think I joined, for the thrill of dying on some far-off place? All I wanted was answers."

"I... I didn't know that."

"Of course not, you kicked me out of my own house without so much as a word when I told you I was enlisting! You could've at least let me explain, sis, I'm only doing it to find out about our father."

"Have you?"

"Apparently it's a pretty big military secret, he was in some super confidential mission. But I've been promised if I behave I'll learn the truth soon."

"If you behave? Oh well, I guess we'll never find out then." The little joke was meant to alleviate the tension between them, although the silver-eyed youngster wasn't sure they were yet ready for it. Yet apparently, she underestimated how quickly some wounds can heal.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm an exemplary soldier. At least that's what Sergeant Port said, but he might have been trying to hit on me. Seriously, eww. Anyway, how's Penny?"

"Worse, but I've almost got the cure, so hopefully it won't be too bad. Or too late."

"Oh, cool! What about Blake?"

"..."

"Rubeo? Something wrong?"

"..."

The huntress' face turned completely pale as it all came back, the crippling ache in her heart, forced to relive that darkest of moments. All warmth drained away as the cold started to set in all across her body, and she began shivering violently. The overwhelming burden weighing on her chest felt like a colossal titan trying to tear her to pieces. She grabbed her arms, shrinking in size to shield herself from that vulnerability within, letting the faltering knees slide her to the floor. To the outside, unluckily, it became just as starkly obvious something was going on.

"Talk to me, sis! What's wrong?"

"I..." Her voiced cracked, and tears started streaming down her face. She couldn't hide from the truth. "I'm sorry..."

"What are you sorry for? Did something happen? Is Blake okay?" Yang's voice was growing desperate, realization starting to grow in her mind.

"She's..."

"No! She's fine! PLEASE TELL ME SHE'S OKAY!"

"Blake's gone, Yang. I'm so sorry."

"No! You're wrong, it can't be! She was so strong, she can't be..." The soldier couldn't say it. She couldn't admit it was true.

Yang's knees grew weak, and she sought support leaning against the wall behind. Ruby was on the ground attempting to contain her sobs. Neither of them made a move to seek comfort in each other, almost seeming like two strangers at that trying moment.

Then, the blonde's lilac eyes flared up and she went for the door.

"I- I have to go."

With that excuse, she left. There was a telltale sign on her face in that passing moment, the unique mask put on by a person who is about to do something extremely foolish.

And once again, Ruby was left to grieve alone.

* * *

Penny looked over to the lump of rubble on her way. Splintered logs and planks were unceremoniously piled on top of each other, spreading over the ground with no clear direction. Whatever had happened there, it had been a tremendous fight, having even managed to reduce a whole house to that mass of junk several times larger than her.

Something caught her eye, and leaning over, the image of a single arrow stuck to a piece of lumber rung louder than the rest. She instantly knew it was one of Ruby's, and although that certainty was baseless considering it was a simple and common bolt, that many archers used, it still drove her to want to retrieve it.

Reaching with the right arm, she grabbed the projectile and yanked, but could not make it budge. Reluctantly she switched to the left side, and closed the stone fingers around the shaft with great difficulty. The hand that had turned to marble didn't work as well as the other one, requiring greater effort to bend and stretch. This new brand of stone wasn't agile and flexible like the enchanted body her father had created, it was cold and lifeless. The spread of the disease was beginning to take over her elbow too, and that was soon to become a much harder burden. But in the meanwhile, she pulled the arrow, and was disappointed to hear it snap. The broken half slid between her knuckles and on to the floor, while the other part kept being stuck to the club.

There was nothing to do but move on, so the girl left the ruins behind her and kept going.

The walk stretched on for hours, spanning multiple landscapes of nature and man-made structures. Penny always stopped to inspect them, since much like her red-hooded friend, she was too on the hunt now. And the lives and safety of the ones she cared about could rest on her success, or at least that was what Torchwick had told her.

The treks of traverse path were short and punctuated with plenty of resting in between. The former-statue didn't have as much stamina and training as Ruby, and there were even worse aggravating issues. She could feel it festering, the disease that was slowly turning her back to stone spreading to new parts of her body. The extremities were always the first, and after conquering one arm, it had now moved on to the legs. Her right foot was beginning to revert, creating a difficult obstacle for long hikes. At least she wasn't limping yet, but considering the effects thus far it was not a matter of _if_ , but _when_. Time wasn't on her side, and she hoped the added effort of the journey wasn't speeding up the process. She wasn't quite done with life yet.

During one of many pauses, which the ginger girl used for scouting the environment around, she spotted a human-like figure in the distance. It was strange, since she hadn't seen an actual person in quite a while, passing through only where they once had lived. Moving in closer, features began being distinguishable, and with them came a surprising feeling of accomplishment. Dark skin, green hair and a curvy body, that woman was definitely the one the former-statue sought.

 _"The first one you should look out for is Emerald Sustrai. She may look innocent and friendly, but that's just part of the farce, do not underestimate her."_

The woman was walking at a brisk pace, coming from the opposite direction of Penny's, peering over her shoulder every few steps to ensure nothing was following. She also appeared to be angrily mumbling to herself, and the former-statue managed to catch on to a part of it despite the low volume.

"Fucking Mercury, ditching me like that. I'll wipe that smug grin off his face next time I see him..."

She hadn't yet noticed Penny, so the ginger decided to be the one to approach.

"Hey! Miss? You alright?" She waved at the girl, throwing any element of surprise out the window.

Emerald stopped and cocked her head to the side, trying to understand why there was a person at that place, and a seemingly friendly one even. After a second had passed a warm smile appeared on her face, and she walked over.

 _"She's a masterful actress, lying is a second nature to her. She can lull you in and make you believe you are seeing things that aren't there. Don't fall to her silver tongue or you're over."_

"Oh hi, didn't see you there. I'm fine, just passing by." Those blood-red eyes were kind and nonchalant, Penny really wanted to believe them. But she had been warned.

"I'm looking for my friends, two girls, one has black hair and a little bow and the other wears a red cape. Have you by any chance seen them?"

At the mention of Ruby and Blake, the dark-skinned girl took a step forward, standing mere inches from the ginger, and suddenly her mask broke. The lips contorted into a perverse smile and the irises were filled with burning hatred. The act was over and the real Emerald had shown her true colors.

 _"Do not, under any circumstance, fight her. She plays dirty, and likes to use hallucinogenics to toy with her prey. If that fails, or you're too much of a threat, she'll just end you with poison like the viper she is."'_

"I'm going to enjoy killing you."

* * *

 **Is anyone still reading this? I want to believe so.**


	8. At Long Last

**8\. At Long Last**

"I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Penny took a leap back to leave the grasp of her enemy, and raised her gloved fists in the air, readying herself for combat. The green-haired woman remained in place, watching the meaningless defensive actions of her prey, and let out a loud sadistic chuckle, pulsing with desire to kill.

"Fists? You're not even going to try to put up a fight?" Her tone was condescending beyond measure, like there was not a sliver of equal standing between them.

The former-statue didn't answer. Instead she breathed in and out to steady herself, hoping the limitations of her body wouldn't become a weakness during the fight. From the abrupt and violent reaction made, Emerald was clearly familiar with her friends, so it would be wise to get as much information out of her as possible.

"Well alright then, let's have some fun." Taking a single blade from its sheath that hung on her belt behind her back, the viper closed in on her with haste.

Out in the open field, where they stood, no ground could be lost, since there were no spatial restrictions for their brawl, so the ginger girl was free to step back from every attack without fear of being disadvantaged. That way she could just dodge most of the stabs taken at her face and body, and never be cornered into a checkmate. The dagger whistled above her cheek, and then close to her chest, then again in many other places but without ever managing to land a hit. Countering wasn't presently on the table, because of her infected arm and leg, so she was pushing the foe's patience from a safe spot, hoping the increasing anger would lead to a fatal mistake on the opponent's side. Luckily, Emerald's hatred was the perfect catalyst, and the effects were already visible.

"Stand still and let me kill you! I want you to pay for what your friends did!" It was working even better than expected, she was beginning to talk. "Now I can't go back to Cinder, not after failing a mission! She doesn't forgive mistakes."

 _Cinder?_ Could that be the name of who had hired Torchwick to capture Ruby? Penny yearned to know more, but she didn't expect the revelation that followed.

"At least I'll get the satisfaction of killing you. Just like I killed your friend."

 _What?_

Her guard lowered momentarily from the shock, and it was enough for the adversary to break through it. She felt a stinging pain and looked down, expecting to find a knife carved into her flesh, but instead she saw two little darts poking their thin needles on her side. She yanked them out and threw them on the floor, then turned back up to the red-eyed woman, who stood still, calmly waiting.

Why had she stopped attacking? Why was she grinning so wickedly at her? Her head started to feel light and dizzy, and when realization hit her, so did the toxin.

The earth started spinning before her eyes, and her foe faded from her vision, engulfed by the all-encompassing whirlwind of light and colors. The floor wouldn't stop dancing up and down beneath her feet, and she was forced to crouch, stretching a hand to feel the dirt below, in order to remain steady.

The world turned blurry and out of focus, but no matter how much she blinked it wouldn't go back to normal. The landscape blended into a single indistinguishable mass, taking away all sense of guidance and direction.

Overwhelming pain ran through her as something blunt struck her face, making the redhead fall flat on the ground with her eyes instinctively closed. She waited defenseless for the next hit, but nothing came.

Gradually, she opened her eyes and crawled to her knees. There was only darkness around, pitch black and uniform. Penny got up.

 _Where am I?_

Planks of wood began materializing and forming a rectangle amidst the dark. Then came the floorboards under her and the ceiling above. Cabinets began furnishing the walls and a stove popped up from the ground on the farthest point from the too newly formed door.

She recognized that place. The table centering the room, the three old chairs flanking it, together with a new one Yang had commissioned specially for her. The metallic cup that somehow always managed to have a fresh and beautiful rose inside. Walking forward, the girl gently placed two fingers on it, caressing the flower, and smiled.

 _I'm home._

 _No._ Her smile faded, and the petals started to wither. _It's just a house. It's not home without..._

"Penny! You're home!" The door slammed open, and a red blur stepped inside with a grin on her lips.

The former statue blinked in disbelief, and felt tears begin to slide down her face. She hadn't cried many times since becoming human, but it was certainly the first instance where she did it not out of sorrow, but happiness. Ruby was there, right alongside her, and this time she had no intention of letting the huntress go.

Ruby ran up to her and jumped at her open arms, never ceasing to look overjoyed. Her heart skipped a beat as the contact of their bodies became imminent, but...

 **"Do you want to know how I killed her?"**

...the figure above her vanished into a pool of blood, red as roses, which dripped down from her arms and onto the floor. Her tears turned bitter as she felt the hot substance taint her hands, just as it tainted her fragile hope.

A movement flashed at the corner of her eye, and her gaze followed it to find Ruby helplessly kneeling down further along. Her beautiful silver eyes were contorted in an expression of pure dread, soundlessly screaming for help.

She tried to run but her body refused to respond, feet glued to the floor by the crimson puddle. A shadow approached her friend from behind, black and blurry but some features could be vaguely distinguished. Penny screamed, shouted for the girl to turn around and run, but they couldn't hear her. The shadow picked up a knife and smiled perversely at the shine of the blade through bloodshot eyes.

 **"First, I coated my weapon in poison."**

 _No!_

The thing brought the weapon up to its face and licked the blade edge, slime pouring out and sticking to the thin metallic surface. It never broke eye contact whilst doing so, and the sheer intimidation had driven any will to keep screaming out of the girl.

 **"Then, I stabbed her in the chest!"**

The dagger descended from behind on the kneeling Ruby, and the redhead closed her eyes just before it hit, refusing to watch the assassination of her dear friend. However, she couldn't block out the sound of flesh being thrusted and cut, nor the wails of agony that followed.

As the sounds subsided, she dared to peek out, hoping it was all over, but was instead met with the sight of the archer gasping for air while blood slid down her lips, a knife still stuck in her chest, silver irises wide with the accusing glare of being betrayed. And behind her, with a victorious smile, was her. Penny.

She contemplated in horror the figure previously coated in darkness, now a mirror image of herself in all but color. Her pale face and white hair were splattered with blood, her skin smooth and spotless like stone. The monochromatic eyes stared back with not a trace of mercy. The statue killing Ruby was the beast she thought to have left behind, the girl made of marble.

 **"But that wasn't enough, so we stabbed her again, this time on the arm."**

The statue took the knife out of the huntress' chest, allowing it to finally bleed, and pressed it against her arm. This time Penny didn't look away, watching as the blade carved into the skin all the way to the bone, the chilling spectacle accompanied still by deafening shrieks of pain. She struggled against her prison, yearning to put an end to the torture, but the shackles were stronger and didn't give in.

 **"The wounds didn't kill her, but the poison did. It spread through her veins and festered into her heart."**

The screams became louder and more desperate.

 **"If she made it that far, her lungs will have collapsed and she suffocated painfully."**

The yelling gave way to frantic gasping for air, the victim clawing her throat trying to breath, until that too ended, and her head hung down motionless.

 **"And I'm sure that red-cloaked bitch watched the whole thing happen too!"**

When she looked, the woman on her knees bleeding out was now wearing a black bow atop her dark mane, the white shirt turning crimson from the constant abuse. Apparently Ruby had survived, but there was no relief in knowing that, because it meant Blake didn't. The lycan was vanishing in front of her eyes, and, worst of all, she was the one doing it. That blood was on her hands.

The stone woman retrieved the knife, and stepped over the lifeless corpse in order to approach her. Penny tried once again to struggle her bound feet, but no result was awarded for the effort, and the sculpture was even closer, wearing a smile that could only mean one thing: murder.

 **"And now, I get to kill you too."**

Her ivory counterpart raised the weapon high, and in the diminutive moment before it crashed down on her, the girl realized that her only way out was to fight back. She gripped the foe's arm as it descended, and was surprised to realize it didn't have the strength that a marble body would be expected to. Deep down she knew it had been an illusion all along, but that detail set her mind off. She couldn't drive off the toxin and end the hallucination simply with the power of will, but just knowing gave her the necessary confidence to reciprocate, and she punched the stone relentlessly with her free fist.

Just as a left hook was delivered to the statue's face, it shifted and blurred for a second, and suddenly Ruby was the one standing in front of her. There was a slight hesitation in her assault, caused by how distressingly alike the thing looked, but it was over before it could offer any advantage to the enemy. Penny wacked at the doppelganger's arm until the fingers loosened up, allowing the handle to slip in-between and out of them. She caught the weapon and without losing a breath pointed it at Ruby's chest.

The shadow flickered again, and the hands that gripped her wrists in order to stop the knife now belonged to Blake. Despite golden eyes begging for mercy, she pressed all her body weight into the struggle, and very slowly the tip inched closer to its target.

The lycan screamed when the blade began slicing into her chest. Small droplets of red peered from the wound as the knife slid further down, until reaching the heart, upon which all resistance disappeared entirely. The body went limp like a doll, and fell with its back on the floor.

It was still Blake, nothing about it changed. They were still back at the sisters' home. Two outsiders welcomed inside, one now dead because of the other. Penny cried, both from grief and due to the overwhelming swarm of emotions brought on by the illusion, now surfacing since the adrenaline had worn off.

Her tears lasted, carrying her until the toxin's effects faded away. The landscape had returned to the green fields and the blue sky, and the corpse on the floor was that of Emerald Sustrai. Her blood had washed over the surrounding foliage, coating it in a bed of ruby upon which she lied. Penny guessed it would be a fitting resting place, even a tortured monster such as her deserved a decent farewell.

A yellow glint amid the sea of red caught her sight, and she reached to find a small golden coin. The former-statue picked it up and stashed it with the rest of her belongings. It would no doubt prove useful somewhere along the march to come, and its previous owner had no longer any use for it.

Looking back one last time at the fallen foe, Penny set off on her path again. Her leg was beginning to falter and limp, but she pulled through and kept going. There was still work to be done.

* * *

The small rooftops of the nearby village began peering over the horizon, and despite there still being quite the distance to them, the huntress knew she was at the right place. Anticipation started bubbling in her stomach, and she sped up her step, eager to find the witch who would fix everything, and get her to help by any means necessary. Then she would be able to return home at long last.

The ground beneath her feet resembled a battlefield, a trail of destruction all the way through the field to the houses ahead. It was obvious that the fight staged on that land hadn't been one fought with weapons, but magic. The earth was scorched and burnt, frost crystals popping out oddly from patches of destroyed vegetation. Trees lay down, unrooted from the ground and marked by being both frozen and set ablaze. There was nary a shadow of life amongst the rubble of nature, where a veritable song of ice and fire had been sung not too long ago. Whatever had transpired during that struggle, victory hadn't come easy, and not at all for the once radiant landscape.

Ruby picked up the pace even further, leaving all that ruin behind. As the huts came fully into view, she noticed only one was still actually standing, the others broken and demolished beyond any functional use. She had seen the trail of silence left by her target, no souls behind unscathed where she walked, but this was different. This was war.

Without a second thought, she pushed the door to the house open, and stepped inside. Her heartbeat was threatening to rip out of her chest because of the understandable nerves and anxiety that had built up from travelling that last stretch. Now was the moment of truth.

"Ruby Rose. We finally meet. You sure do love to be a thorn on my side." The voice came from the opposite side of the large room, cold and premeditated, like a much rehearsed script.

The girl stepped forward, hoping to better discern the figure ahead.

"Funny. Your sister said almost the same thing, Winter."

The woman shifted uncomfortably in her seat, a wooden chair that almost seemed like a throne just by grace of her presence alone. She wore a short dress, quite more revealing than would be considered ladylike for the folk of the countryside, of pure white that became milky blue as it descended further down until it ended mid-thigh. Sleeveless and light, if offered no protection whatsoever against either the elements or assault, but that was a luxury spellcasters could afford. Her smooth white hair fell upon her face, properly combed to the side above her right brow. Her eyes were fiery, enhancing the mighty and imposing presence to such a degree that Ruby had to fight the impulse to kneel before them. All of her figure transpired grace and power, a dangerous combination, suited to strike awe in those who stood where the huntress did.

"You have a lot of nerve talking about my sister. Is that what you came here to do? Kill me like you killed dear ol' Weiss?"

"Calm down, I just want to talk. I have proposal for you." A fight with the magician was one she had no hopes of winning. She had heard many rumors about a witch by the name of Winter Schnee and how powerful she was, but apparently the woman had heard rumors about her too, and they were clearly exaggerated enough to be threatening.

"Oh? And here I was prepared for a fight. Talk then, I must say I'm curious."

"My friend is sick and I need you to help me cure her. I can make it worth your while."

"Can you, now? And what is it that you think you have that I want?" There was superiority in those burning eyes of hers, thinking that a poor peasant huntress could never have anything of value. She would soon regret making such assumptions.

"I have your sister."

"WHAT? Impossible! Weiss is dead!"

"She's not dead, just... you might call it frozen. I'm sure you can handle a little ice. And I can get you to her if you help me." Ruby kept serious and business-like throughout the exchange. The last thing she wanted was to show weakness in front of a sorceress who could eat her alive without even breaking a sweat.

"And how do I know you're not lying to me? Can you prove she's alive?"

"I... No, I can't." She lowered her gaze to the floor, feeling all that confidence crumbling down.

"Hmm, I see... You are certainly an intriguing one, Rose. All right, I'll help you."

"Really?" That was undoubtedly too good to be true.

"However, I will require a proof that you're not just trying to play me for a fool. If I'm to believe you, you'll have to do something for me first."

Despite the lack of contact between the two, it would seem the Schnees were adepts of the same work practice: a favor for a favor. Ruby nodded in acknowledgment, and waited to hear the rest of the story before making a verbal contract.

"You will go to the city of Vale, and find the man they call The General. He has a sword that I made for him, a gift from older times, but he's no longer worthy of wielding it. I want you to get it back. Do that and I will know you are trustworthy."

* * *

 **So the Schnee witch Ruby has been seeking wasn't Weiss, but Winter.** **Props to FourNails1341 for calling it from a mile away.  
**

 **I had so much fun writing this one, especially the hallucination scene. It was quite the challenge. Oh and thanks for the support after last chapter, I really appreciate it.  
**


	9. Vale

**Ooooh boy this is so long, it's essentially two chapters. I really wanted to cut it, but there were no satisfying stopping points.**

* * *

 **9\. Vale  
**

Ruby was in awe.

Never in her life had she seen something as colossal or majestic tall as the walls surrounding the city of Vale. Blocks of stone towered towards the heavens, far taller than anything she had come across, casting shadow over all the surrounding lands. Small crevices were evenly distributed throughout the surface, serving as a safe place from where archers could snipe out any approaching invaders. At the edges, massive watchtowers peered over, gigantic cylinders with wooden roofs to allow spotting threats from afar. A moat had been dug around the fortification, to further difficult belligerent actions, but it had long since dried. It truly was built with sturdiness and defensibility in mind, a marvel of construction unlike any other.

She walked through the bridge towards the only entrance to the city: a large gate surrounded by armed guards. The iron bars restricting access had been lifted, allowing people free access in and out of the metropolis. The huntress hoped getting inside would not be problematic; it was just the first of many obstacles ahead of her mission.

She pressed on, casually strolling by as if nothing but common routine, with nothing strange about it. She almost made it through the door before a soldier called out for her.

"Hey, you! Come here!"

Ruby had no option but to comply, so she moved his direction. The man had full chain link armor and a helmet on, leaving no discernible features to the naked eye.

"First time here? No weapons allowed inside the city."

She defensively placed a hand on top or her bow, as if she was trying to hide it from the man.

"What if I get attacked?"

"That's what the City Guard is for. C'mon, your bow will be safe, and we'll return it to you when you leave."

 _If I leave in good terms.._

She unstrapped the bow and quiver from her back and handed it over despite the sour taste it left in her mouth. She hesitated before taking out the hunting knife, hoping the soldier hadn't noticed, but he stretched his arm out, demanding that weapon too.

The archer was allowed then to cross the gate and enter into the city proper. She had been amazed before by the outside, but the inside shook her to the core.

There were dozens of people walking the paved street alongside her, minding their own business as they went on to their daily lives. She, however, was taking the sights in with wide eyes and her mouth agape from admiration. So many people, countless more than she had ever seen in one place. The houses, Torchwick hadn't lied, they were large and pilling on top of each other, barely any breathing room between them. It was simply breathtaking to find somewhere so full of life and novelty.

The street led to a small square, at least small by city standards, spreading into more diminutive roads to the sides, with a water fountain at the center, decorated by an intricate sculpture of a triumphant soldier raising a banner. That didn't impress her as much, she had seen much more interesting statues before, but the shops did. Around the square were storefronts, large windows on the surrounding building that were open to permit commerce with passersby. There was food, drink, an herbalist and even a blacksmith, such wondrous trades and so easily accessible. One of the houses had its doors shut, and huge letters spelling _INN_.

Ruby kept going, wondering where the exciting ride would take her next. After passing the conglomerate of buildings, she spotted a set of stairs down. From atop them she was able to see amazing yet terrifying things. The city went on for miles, descending what appeared to be a cliff side and giving her a perfect view, due to her being on higher ground. She had been starstruck by that one street, but there were so many more, riddled with houses. There was a small river crossing over the metropolis, slicing it in half.

And on the other half, there was poverty. The buildings were visibly weaker and dirtier, some even starting to crumble down. The people, despite being little more than ants in the distance, weren't well dressed and washed. They weren't the farce of happiness at the entrance, but the secret shame the metropolis tried to hide away from sight.

The huntress didn't pity them. They were safe within sturdy stone walls, far away from the dangers of monsters and bandits that roamed the countryside. They would never know the fear of the unknown which lurked in the shadows. She didn't pity them, but she felt their pain. Being cast aside as nothing but garbage, despised for no reason other than close-minded intolerance. She knew those things all too well. Mankind was the same wherever one went, too quick to judge and hate, but never to forgive.

Forcing herself to look away, Ruby left the staircase behind and returned to the street which led into the uppermost part of the city. That would be where the elite lived, and where her mission would take place. The further she went the more guards she saw, the added security surely meant to keep the populace away from the wealthy and powerful. She strolled by without causing any trouble, and no one paid her any mind, allowing the girl to undisturbedly climb a new, large staircase into the rich district, separating it from the rest. After all she did somewhat look like a ranger, from the light and practical outfit to the bow and quiver on her back. Yet no amount of camouflage would help her get inside the target area.

That part of town was much quieter, with noticeably less people around, although they wore quite different clothing from everyone else. Frilly dresses and thick warm capes, there was luxury and vanity in display for all to see.

The buildings were... something else entirely. Roman had spoken the truth when he said they could take up to a whole village, they were colossal mansions that could easily house hundreds of people. The fronts ranged from simple too deeply decorated with pillars and carvings of figures, but were always huge, with more windows than she could count. Despite there being only a handful of them, they were so absurdly large and ostentatious that the archer had to pinch herself to ensure it was all real.

Her wide unbelieving looks were starting to draw attention, clueing in the aristocrats that she didn't belong. A couple of looks of disdain brought her to that realization, so she hurried on to the task at hand.

There was a large metallic gate that stood apart from everything else in the area. It was imbued within a tall stone wall that was not quite like the city fortification walls. The rooftop of a villa could be seen from beyond the barrier, and it would seem to be even bigger than all the others. The biggest clue was, nevertheless, the squad of troops stationed guarding the entrance. The girl knew it had to be the Royal Palace, and if the General was to be found anywhere, that was the place.

She breathed in to soothe the nerves, and reminded herself of the rehearsed strategy, hoping it wouldn't fail. Then she walked up to the soldiers to request entry.

"The Palace is off-limits, girl. Turn away or else." One of the soldiers growled at her, reaching for his sheathed sword in order to emphasize the threat.

Ruby took an item from her pouch, and raised it high so the guards could see.

"I have business with the General." The men looked at the small golden shield in confusion.

"Captain? Who did you steal that from, girl?"

"It's my father's. I want to speak with the General."

The men began laughing loudly at her bogus attempt at infiltration. She felt a hard blow to her pride, being dismissed so easily as nothing but an object of ridicule, but refused to submit to anger. If that plan had failed, she only needed to find a place to hole up until night fell and climb over the wall. The setback wasn't going to impede her progress.

"Guys? What... What if she's the real deal?" A lone soldier spoke, catching all of them off-guard, even the huntress. He had a young voice, much younger than the rest of the guards.

"What do you mean, rookie?"

"I mean, wouldn't the general be mad at us if she was supposed to go in and we didn't let her?"

"So what, you want to let some random girl into the palace? Are you crazy?"

"I..."

"You know what? Fine, let her through. But if something happens, it's your neck on the line." The boy gulped but nodded his head.

Ruby was observing the conversation with an astonished look. Apparently, the problem was conveniently solving itself with the help of a random stranger.

They unlocked the gate, and the boy motioned for her to follow behind as he crossed inside. Before she did, the apparent leader of the squad leaned in and offered a final threat.

"Better behave now, girl. Wouldn't want to screw over the rookie, now would you?" She doubted she would be given a choice.

There was a garden between her and the palace, prim and proper, with bushes and blossoming flowers of many kinds, some of them she couldn't even recognize. The amount of perfection sent shivers down her spine, how carefully designed it was, with idealized symmetry and harmony. She was used to the rough and orderless enchant of nature. This was too inorganic, creating a strange atmosphere that hinted at cold calculation hiding behind a mask of beauty.

Past the garden was the main entrance to the castle, and she didn't want to just walk in through the front door, but the escorting soldier seemed to be intent on doing just that. She was intruding, after all, but he didn't know that, so there was no reason he would seek out a side entrance away from prying eyes. He walked with her until the main door, and then stopped and looked at her. The helmet covered most of his face, but she could see deep blue eyes staring back.

"I should get back to my post. The General is upstairs on the fifth door on the right. Good luck." He turned to leave, but she stopped him.

"Wait! Why did you help me?"

The boy shrugged like it was no big deal.

"I know what it's like to be bullied by those guys. For once it felt good standing up for myself, or for someone else I guess." He shot her an earnest smile and took off.

Ruby slumped her shoulders while he walked away, feeling the tension leave her body. She wasn't sure how, but everything had managed to work out in the end. And now she was free to continue her mission, and certainly not through the main entrance.

The coast appeared to be clear, no one in sight, so she carefully made her way to the left side of the building. And alas, she found a small door leading to the staff's quarters, to facilitate entries and exits.

Pushing it open silently, she snuck inside and tiptoed through the kitchens, which didn't appear to be in use at that hour. There was so much food stored inside, assaulting her with a multitude of delicious smells that made her mouth water, and painfully reminded her just how long ago her last meal had been. The mission was her utmost priority, but the stinging sensation in her stomach wouldn't leave as long as the memory of the kitchens remained, so she was forced to make a stop. She ensured no one was around, before approaching the tentative delights on display. Careful enough to take just tiny amounts that wouldn't be noticed missing; she sampled a bit of everything available. Exquisite smoked sausage and other spiced meats, petite sweet breads, fruits of exotic kinds she hadn't seen before, she had just a small bite of each but her head was spinning with novelty and overwhelming delight.

It was only when the sound of voices grew closer than she broke apart from her trance, and remembered where she was. Hugging the wall by the inner door, she took refuge just in time, as two men walked in carrying a large pan of some kind that filled the room with an enticing but unknown scent. There was no time to wonder about it though, she had already wasted too long, so she slid by the open door and went on her way with a satisfied smile.

She crossed the halls, trying to avoid any passing people, although the staff didn't appear to pay her any mind at all. There were no guards around that area, since it was where the workers lived, which also worked quite in her favor. Yet she wouldn't find the General there, hence she took a flight of stairs up to search a new zone.

The upper part of the palace was quiet but elegant, carpeted floors and decorations on the walls, implying it was the nobility's realm. No soul seemed to haunt that floor, allowing her to casually walk up to the fifth door and eavesdrop inside. There was absolutely no sound coming from inside the room, so the huntress took the lock picks and worked the skills that Velvet had taught her.

Entrance unlocked, she snuck in and shut it behind her. The office was austere, for nobility standards of course, it was far more opulent than Ruby's house. There was only a large oak desk, its top packed to the brim with papers and maps with battle strategies scribbled on them, and a comfortable chair behind it.

It became immediately clear that there weren't many places where a sword could be hidden in, so she busied herself with misplacing the clutter in vain hope of finding it underneath. When that proved fruitless, she tried searching the drawers on the desk, who, of course, were locked.

She kneeled down and inserted the lockpick inside the keyhole, rotating it slightly to seek out the sweetspot. There was a click, but the drawer didn't open. Instead, the door did. From it came in a tall woman with braided blonde hair.

"And what are _you_ doing here?"

Ruby just stood there helplessly. There was no way out this time, she had been caught.

* * *

The woman guided her through countless flights of stairs, descending further and further down and away from sunlight, into the belly of the castle. The dungeon was located deep within the earth, distanced from the royalty's living quarters for reasons that soon became evident to the huntress.

The stench was unbearable, even quite before arriving at the prison area, and becoming increasingly so as they veered closer to the destination. The condensed smell of sweat, urine and other fetid substances, constantly aging due to the lack of ventilation. Ruby could swear there was a dead body rotting somewhere among the prisoners, such was the intensity that not even a barn full of cattle could dream to create such pestilent atmosphere. That was how the kingdom treated its criminals, as worse than animals.

She fought the urge to vomit, feelings entrails rage and sicken at the putrid smell. Her captor didn't stop walking or pulling the chain, and did not, in fact, appear to be disconcerted in the slightest. The archer was forced to swallow the bile and push on to keep up.

The dungeon was quiet but dark, barely any sources of light inside and neither of them natural. She blinked, trying to adjust to the darkness, but was barely able to see regardless. However, it did not stop the blonde woman from guiding her step to a barred door, unlocking it and gesturing her to step inside. As she did, the door slammed shut behind her, and clicked to indicate there was no escaping possible.

The cell wasn't as bad as she expected, a rather spacious compartment made of stone in its entirety, and moderately clean considering the conditions. It was twice, maybe three times as large as her own room back home, which made sense as she was sharing it with another prisoner. There were two cots on the floor, although calling them that would be generous, since they were nothing more than worn blankets, and a bucket that the girl tried to avoid thinking about. From the farthest wall came the glimmer of a single candle, the only light inside, shinning over the blonde locks and weary violet irises of her cellmate.

"Yang?"

The once proud woman sat on the floor with a defeated look. She was dirty and unkempt, her skin pale as milk, her golden hair a greasy mass of filth that fell irregularly over her face. When called, she merely raised her head, revealing bags under her eyes and a grimace on her lips, no spark of energy left inside.

"Ruby? Am I dreaming?" There was no thunder in her voice, only a feeble cry from someone who probably hadn't spoken for days.

The huntress rushed to her side and extended a hand to her face, cupping her cheek tenderly.

"I'm really here, Yang. What happened to you? Why are you in prison?" At that question, the older sister turned away to avoid her gaze.

"I- I found out the truth about dad."

"You did? That's amazing! How?"

"...I attacked the General and asked him to tell me while putting a sword to his throat."

The youngster recoiled at the confession. She didn't know her sibling would do such a thing, even if she had seen the signs and knew why it had happened it was still quite extreme. But considering the physical and emotional state the other girl appeared to be in, it wasn't the most opportune moment to be indulging in her own ideas of morality.

"Well, I was caught stealing from him, so I guess we really are family." She forced a mischievous smirk on her expression, hiding the fear and uncertainty plaguing her.

"You did WHAT?" That injected some life back into Yang, the motherly instinct was too strong in her, bred by years of being the oldest person in the household.

"I needed it to get the cure for Penny. That was the deal the Schnee gave me."

"Oh, you found her? Well, at least something good came of all this, I guess."

Silence fell between them, as they both understood the loss implied within those words. Blake was gone, and no matter the prize they reaped, it would never be enough to replace her. All they could do was hope that in the end they could do justice to the girl they had cared for.

"Yang? Before... it happened, Blake asked me to tell you that she was sorry things hadn't gone differently for you two, but she forgave you."

The blonde turned to face Ruby, and tears were pooling under eyes. There was sorrow in those tears, but also gratitude. Ruby embraced her and together they quietly wept, for their friend whom they'd never see again, for the pain and misery they had endured on both their journeys, for the sisterly bond that they had lost for so long but was now found at long last. They found comfort in each other, much like they used to do in thunderstorms, which was undoubtedly fitting since they had just lived through the harshest couple of months in their lives thus far.

Time flew by as the grief washed away, but they didn't move apart from each other, from the shared warmth that resembled home. At least not until Ruby decided to speak again.

"So..." She cleared her throat so that words could come out more smoothly. "What did you find about dad?"

Yang ended the hug, as they sat side by side, and began explaining, already looking better than before.

"Captain Xiao Long, member of the Stark Task Force, killed in action." She was reciting a list with a monotonic voice. "He was part of a squad that fought against monsters and magical things. Pretty badass, huh?"

"Doesn't sound like him at all." They shared a half-hearted laugh at the long gone memory of Taiyang, a kind caring man, but also playful and even downright silly.

"Yeah. His team was a secret because of the work they did. Until one day, they went missing on a mission. When a squad was sent to look for them, all they found were the bodies, or what was left of them. They had been all burnt to kingdom come; whatever they fought completely overpowered them. They were just supposed to find a witch gone rogue, a woman who hunted other magic users to drain their power for herself, I think her name was Cinder or something."

"Wait, Cinder? Oh no..."

"Does that mean anything to you?"

"The people that captured us, the ones who... killed Blake, they mentioned working for someone named Cinder."

The blonde made a concerned expression, and asked her sister for a retelling of what had happened on her journey. Ruby complied, despite the difficulty talking about some parts of the way. They traded stories and ideas, and the banter carried them off until they fell asleep.

The huntress slept leaning her head on her sibling's shoulder, who had an arm around her to keep them both warm. The cots remained unused, as the joy of being reunited, and the uncertainty of how long it would last, prompted the two to spend the night the least apart they could. After all, they didn't know what the next day would bring for them.

* * *

Ruby woke up with the sound of metal clanking, and with the other girl shifting position as she too was torn from her slumber. When her eyes resigned to start working again, she saw a figure by the open door of their cell. She immediately recognized the blonde captor from the previous day.

"Get up, ladies. Your trial will be today."

Confused and aloof, the girls obeyed, but before they could fire off the countless questions they had, the woman simply walked outside. She didn't close the door, making it obvious she expected them to go as well, so that's what they did. The woman kept walking ahead of them and they followed suit, wondering where it would lead them. Ruby unconsciously gripped her sister's hand, and they braved into the unknown together.

The stairs that descended into the dungeon led them to a brightly lit room, filled with sunrays beaming in but little else. There was a redheaded girl in Royal Guard armor standing by with two large buckets, and a chair with some towels. The commanding woman had them stand apart and towards the wall, and soon thereafter one of the buckets made its way over the archer's head, dumping a stream of cold water onto her.

"Sorry." The soldier offered an apologetic quip when the girl shivered from the temperature shock.

Yang was offered the same treatment, and afterwards the soldier excused herself and left. The older blonde woman waited while they dried themselves from what certainly had been the closest thing to a bath they would get before the trial. Criminals didn't need to look clean, as long as the smell didn't reach the crowds.

The youngster didn't look too bad, only a night in jail had dirtied her apparel but it was still nearly decent, the cape certainly helped. Her sibling was much worse. She had torn clothes riddled with filth, nothing like the bright outfits she used to prefer.

When they were ready, or as ready as they would ever be, the captor placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"Keep calm; don't say anything rash and you should be fine. You didn't do anything too bad." Her words weren't cold or imposing, but rather comforting in a way.

When she moved to Yang, however, her mask faltered and concern burst through.

"You... Good luck."

After their wrists were bound behind their backs, they were led outside and into the blinding light.

As overwhelmed irises adjusted to the environment, the huntress saw that they were in a large square with a booming audience in waiting. Soldiers flanked a wooden stage at the center, where there was a tall man dressed in soft grey military clothing, expensive but practical. He had short dark hair beginning to gray, and stood with perfect posture. At his hip was a scabbard with a sword. He gestured at them, and the girls walked towards him. They were each guided to opposite sides of the stage, and he remained at the center while he addressed the masses with a thunderous well-projected voice.

"Good people of Vale! We are here today to witness the judgement of these two girls. Private Yang Xiao Long..." He pointed to his right, and then to his left. "...and her bastard sister, Ruby Rose!"

The silver-eyed girl cringed at those words, knowing what would follow. The _good people_ erupted into loud protesting and booing, as so many others did to the sound of the word _bastard_. They had no favor toward them now, not when there was a vile creature such as her on the stand. Memories of her childhood came flooding in, of the hatred and discrimination, and she tried her best to remain composed. She wouldn't give those idiots the satisfaction of knowing they had gotten to her.

" **SILENCE!** "

The General shouted at the top of his lungs, startling the crowd into ceasing all that unbearable ruckus.

"If you do not behave, my soldiers will have to escort you out!" The stationed soldiers all reached for their swords in unison, to illustrate the point. Not another sound was heard.

"Ruby Rose, you are accused of trespassing and theft. The punishment, if found guilty, is flogging and exile. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty." She needed that sword to save Penny; there was no way she could be banished, not when she was so close.

"Very well. Yang Xiao Long, you are accused of desertion."

Ruby thought it was strange that there was no mention of assaulting or threatening the army's commander. Maybe they were softening the charges out of pity, or maybe he just didn't want the reputation stain of being attacked by a measly recruit.

"The punishment, if found guilty, is death by hanging."

The square went absolutely quiet, as the weight of those words crushed their spirits. The huntress was having trouble breathing, unable to process the possibility of losing her sister so soon after finding her again. She sought Yang's gaze, but the brawler didn't look back.

"How do you plead?" Everyone present knew there was only one reasonable answer to that.

"Not guilty."

"Very well, we will now review your cases. Is there anyone who wishes to speak for these girls?"

A single voice was heard from within the audience, confident despite the mass of people muffling it.

"I do."

The crowd emitted a slight murmur of surprise, and parted to allow whoever had spoken to emerge. From within stepped forth a ginger girl wearing a summer dress over a cream shirt and gloves on her hands, a satchel strapped over her shoulder. She limped, but moved with determination, and her eyes were locked on the judge.

"Penny?" Ruby choked on her voice, barely making an audible sound.

"I will speak for them. And I demand a trial by sword."

* * *

 **Now now, before you say anything: trail by combat was common practice in Medieval Europe (especially around Germany). It's not just a Game of Thrones thing, it's actually part of the historical setting (haha _historical_ , as if my story didn't have witches and shapeshifters).**

 **Next chapter we'll get some insight on why Penny came to Vale, and see the trial to its end.**


	10. Trial

**10\. Trial**

Death.

Imprisonment.

Those were the thoughts that crossed her mind when she saw the city.

Penny feared the towering walls raised up and above her. Their height seemed to envelop her in a grip of stone, restraining her to the fate she most wanted to escape from. The rocks that constituted the fortress around the metropolis were immobile, there was no life or freedom for them. She wanted to run away, refuse to look at what was soon to happen to her as well.

Yet there she was, about to walk inside the capital. The dread seeping within her was strong, but she had been given a mission, and she could let nothing stand in the way.

 _"The second person you really shouldn't tangle with is Mercury Black, the assassin. Unlike Emerald, he's not one for subtleties. He's a master at close quarters combat, and he'll overpower you, plain and simple. Hell, he'd overpower anyone."_

Mercury had been a slippery one, but she was fairly certain that the trail led to Vale. In truth her tracking skills were only the bits and pieces she had managed to put together from past conversations with Ruby, when the archer started excitedly rambling about her hunting expeditions, so it was more an educated guess than it was a certainty. Nevertheless, she determined to search the entire capital if need be, as long as that meant keeping her friends safe, wherever they were.

The redhead casually entered through the city gate, and no one disturbed her since she had no visible weaponry. It was morning, and the residents were starting their routines anew, busily pacing back and forth. She walked alongside them, wondering how it would be like to live in the metropolis, an environment so different from the ones she'd been thus far.

Her eyes scoured the street and through the square filled with stores, hoping to find a man with hair far too grey for his age. The merchants didn't interest her, the only directive in mind at the moment was her mission. She did, however, stop in front of the Inn, before pushing the door open and stepping inside. She had no idea how long it would take to find who she sought, so having a place to stay was a wise decision.

The entrance was a dusty room, consisting of nothing but a reception desk behind which sat an elderly man, and two doorways into different parts of the building. From the left one poured in the noises of people talking and drinking, implying it was the space where meals were served. The right side was silent. Penny approached the desk and the man greeted her through squinted eyes.

"Welcome to _From Dusk Till Dawn_ , how may I help you?"

"I was looking for a room I could rent for a few days."

"The standard fare is two silvers a night." The ginger reached for her satchel and took out the golden coin she had gotten from Emerald.

"Will this be enough?" When she handed over the coin, he gasped in shock.

"This is..." He bit the coin, trying to ensure it was real gold. "I- I'll get our best room ready. You can stay as long as you want."

The old man scurried off in a hurry leaving the girl to her own devices. When he returned a few minutes later, she was guided through the entryway on the right side, which as she discovered led to an ascending flight of stairs. The upper floor had outer walls of stone just like downstairs, but everything else was built from large boards of wood, solidly crafted contrastingly to the peasant houses she was accustomed to. The erected partitions separated the different rooms available for rent, each accessible through a door on the long hall they were currently crossing. The innkeeper led her through until the very last one, and stepped to the side so she could enter.

The room was wide and well-lit, the farthest wall, the only made from stone, open in a large window that allowed plentiful sunlight to pour in. The space was unevenly divided in two by a thin barrier, and in the smallest part was a round bathtub, like a barrel, lumber planks united by a circle of iron. Around it were buckets with water and towels, so one could take a bath. Over on the other side was an enticing-looking bed next to a small table, and a tall dresser of fine craftsmanship, although not too well-kept.

Atop the table sat a basket of fresh fruit, or so it would seem, and a jar filled with a clear liquid. The price she had paid for the place was apparently generous enough to come with additional benefits, and she was certainly not about to complain. It had been a long time since she had come across food that need not be rationed, and she fully intended to take advantage of the fact.

She was already inside the room, when the man called out from the doorway.

"Are you here for the trial?"

"What trial?" She was startled by his words, having completely forgotten that he was still standing behind her.

"A girl who was caught sneaking in the General's office yesterday, and apparently she's the sister of another girl who tried to kill him some time ago, so they're being trialed together today. Rumor has it that since they were both caught red-handed they are getting executed for sure."

 _Two sisters? It can't be them, can it? No, why would they be here? It has to be someone else._

"Oh, I see. Actually I came to the city looking for someone. I think I'll pass."

Penny turned her back on the man, and walked over to the bed. It had been a long journey, and her leg desperately needed rest. Mercury could stand to wait a little bit longer.

"Well ok then, suit yourself. I'm going to step out for a while, to see how that red-hooded girl gets out of this one, but if you need anything I shouldn't be long." He closed the door and took his leave.

The girl paid it no mind, currently too busy enjoying the feeling of the bed underneath her, a proper feather mattress, nothing like the straw she was used to. It was a heavenly sensation, and sleep began slowly invading her thoughts.

 _I wonder why people are so interested in executions? Why does the red-hoo..._

 _Wait!_

She jumped to her feet, and immediately fell on the floor, the weak leg giving in due to the sudden pressure. Ignoring the pain it caused, she got up and ran out the door as fast as that defective body would allow. The innkeeper was at the bottom of the stairs when the noises of rushed descent made him look back just in time to be pinned to the wall by the shoulders.

"What did you say? About the girl on trial?"

"That it's a sure thing?" He seemed confused about the sudden change of attitude.

"No, about a red hood!"

"Yes. They say she's some sort of archer, and wears a red cape with a hood."

"Ruby..." Her friend was in danger and she needed to help her. "Where is the trial taking place?"

The elderly man explained, and in return was let loose, as she took off through the front door. Houses and streets became a blur, and the adrenaline dulled all senses including the aching limbs. She sped to the place indicated by the man, hoping, praying it wasn't too late.

She was entering the square when she saw the massive crowd. There were dozens upon dozens of people watching the trial about to happen, hoping for blood. And beyond them, above the sea of heads, she saw the sisters, separated by a man dressed in white. At least they were still mostly unscathed.

"...Yang Xiao Long, you are accused of desertion. The punishment, if found guilty, is death by hanging."

Penny's heart dropped to her feet, and she ran, trying to cut through the swarm that blocked her path to her friends. Her leg was aching and refusing to help, but she paid it no mind, pushing people out of her way franticly. She had to save them.

"How do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

The bystanders complained at her attempts to cut in, and refused to budge. She wasn't going to make it in time unless an opportunity to stand from the crowd presented itself soon. Luckily that's exactly what happened.

"Very well, we will now review your cases. Is there anyone who wishes to speak for these girls?"

"I do." Penny spoke as loudly as she could, just barely from screaming. And that was enough.

The blockade dissipated, parting to let her pass, while murmuring in surprise. The redhead girl emerged, attempting to maintain composure despite her nerves and difficulty walking normally. She faced the judge head on, so concentrated that she didn't even notice Ruby faintly calling out her name. In that split second of anticipation, with all eyes on her, an idea took form in her mind.

"I will speak for them. And I demand a trial by sword."

She could hear a collective gasp behind her. Combat trials weren't too common, as most criminals weren't skilled enough in a fight to stand against a knight. It was only used to settle disputes between people of the same standing, or as a loophole for rich nobles to buy their way out of conviction. Penny only knew about it because of a story her father had once told her during a sleepless night, of a valiant knight framed for a crime he hadn't committed. She just hoped it would work.

The General stared at her with a raised brow, astonished by her courage.

"Are you sure? That's not a decision to be taken lightly."

"I'm sure. I don't have a sword though, so I will need to be provided with one." She was genuinely surprised at how commanding her voice managed to seemed while under pressure.

The man gestured to one of his guards, who unsheathed his weapon and offered it to him without hesitation. He gave it to Penny, before ordering the soldiers to clear out an arena for the fight. In the meantime, she brandished the blade in the air, trying to get the feel for it. It was light and well-forged, but she was used to hand-to-hand combat, and it was off-putting to be fighting with that thing. Having to account for spacing and momentum wasn't quite in her skillset, but she was confident she could win nevertheless. She had too.

"Well then, I accept your challenge. I will fight you myself, and may the rightful party win."

He took off his coat and gave it to the blonde woman beside him for safekeeping, then moved to the center of the makeshift arena. The weapon he retrieved from his hip was an elegant saber, inscribed with glowing runes on the dull side. It emitted a strange aura, almost like it was under the influence of an enchantment of some kind.

The duel was signaled as started, and the two circled the space, trying to feel each other out. The former-statue could tell just from his stance that her opponent was far more skilled than her, so attacking head-on was ill advised. If she wished to win she had to play smart, and that meant waiting for his move and reacting to it.

The General took a step forward, then another, and lunged the point of his sword at her. She rotated to the side on her good foot, and deflected the attack with her blade. He smiled as if she had passed the test, and began poking the air in front of her in quick succession, as she dodged as best she could.

A full minute later the ginger had still not made a single attack, permanently forced on the defensive by his superior mastery. He had managed to break through her guard twice already, one grazed her leg and the other her left arm just below the shoulder. The affected areas weren't bleeding, but cold, as if pierced by ice. She could feel the audience holding their breath, awaiting her defeat with eyes that yearned for blood. She was holding her ground fairly well considering, but it was not enough, she had to do something and fast.

In a moment of panic, Penny ignored the man's attack and dashed forward, closing in the distance between, hoping to destabilize his strategy. The flash of confusion that crossed his eyes was, however, all the result achieved. He could adapt too well to the change in footing, and his saber was quickly descending on her left shoulder, just near the neck, with haste, a blow which would undoubtedly be fatal if connected.

The girl didn't think, she merely reacted on impulse. Her free arm lifted itself to stand in the path of the blade, acting as an obstacle to protect other vital areas. It was a simple reflex of survival, that had no intention of completely stopping the sword in its tracks, yet it did.

Both combatants stared in shock at the sword which stood calmly lying on her left hand. Her _stone_ left hand.

Ice began pouring from the edge, enveloping her fingers, but it wasn't fast enough. She pressed all her strength into the unresponsive appendages, and managed to entrap the weapon within. The cold blade should've been carving into her skin, but she felt nothing because there was no skin to cut. The opponent just stood there completely shunned, unable to understand what was happening.

She grabbed the saber harder, and it snapped in two pieces, one falling loudly on the floor, the other still held by the man's grip on the hilt. Before he could recover, Penny raised her own sword and softly pressed it against his neck. It was the cold sting of steel that finally broke him out of the daze.

"I yield."

She dropped the weapon, and took a few steps back trying to maintain balance. Besides a completely frozen left hand, her breathing was ragged and heavy both from the physical strain and the built-up adrenaline. Still she managed to smile through her drained status, after all, she had won.

"In the name of King Ozpin, I hereby declare Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long innocent. The trial is over." He spoke loudly and clearly, before gesturing his men to release the absolved prisoners. The crowd began scattering with a dissatisfied groan, not having been granted their desire for death.

Yang massaged her wrists, reveling in the sensation of freedom. Ruby, however, was already running, with other priorities in mind.

"PENNY!" She sprinted up to the ginger, ready to tackle her to the ground.

Yet when she approached with open arms, the former-statue recoiled and stepped backwards. Betrayal flashed on those silver eyes of hers, unable to understand why she had been denied the reunion. Penny looked at her guiltily, and explained.

"Ruby, do you have any idea how badly you smell right now?" The huntress' eyes grew wide as she suddenly remembered the filth of the dungeon she had spent the night on.

They stared awkwardly at each other for a moment, before the golem made up her mind.

"You know what, screw it." And with those words, she jumped at the girl, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

Penny felt tears pooling in her eyes, as she gripped the archer as hard as she could. They hadn't seen each other for so long, not in person at least, and it was almost too good to believe. She half expected it all to be another illusion, and for the girl to vanish at any moment. But she knew it had to be real, nothing could replicate that warmth, the feeling created by the other girl's presence. For the first time in months, she was home.

"I missed you so much." Her voice cracked under the emotional storm brewing inside.

"I know, I missed you too." Ruby spoke without moving away in the slightest, and those words breathed against her neck sent shivers down her spine.

" _Ahem_... Do you two ladies need to get a room?" Yang was standing right behind, with a large grin like she had waited ages to use that line.

"Actually, I do have a room in the nearby Inn, and you two REALLY need a bath." The hug broke off, despite her mind screaming in protest against it.

"Oh, before we go, just one thing." Ruby turned away from them. "General?"

The man looked back, and walked over with his arms behind his back, a proper military pose. He didn't speak a word, waiting to know why she had called. The huntress pointed at the shattered saber.

"Is it okay if we keep that? Considering it's broken and all?"

"I don't see why not, it's just a sword, I can get another. And since it broke, the spell doesn't work anymore." He waved his hand at the blonde woman who kept shadowing him. "Glynda, do you mind?"

"I'm not your blacksmith, James." She rolled her eyes in annoyance, but flicked her wrist and the two pieces of the blade snapped back together.

 _A magic user?_ The three girls looked with mouth agape at the scene before them, surprised to find a witch right under their noses, much to the amusement of Glynda, who chuckled at their reaction. It made sense really, the King would want a sorceress by his side for both protection and counseling. Who better to deal with the magician threat than one of them?

Ruby accepted the weapon handed to her, but noticed that the man was still gripping it with a grave look in his eyes.

"I urge you to leave this city as soon as possible. I may have absolved you, but the people have taken their own conclusions and their usually aren't as forgiving. For your safety, please go." He let go and walked away, a fleeting glimpse of worry in his sight.


	11. Urgency

**Heyyy, I'm not dead!**

 **I'm really sorry for taking this long to update. I've been struggling really hard with writing, mostly because I can't seem to find motivation to. Every time I try, the words just feel alien to me, like I'm not the one who wrote them. Does that make sense? Also t** **he fact that my phone decided to randomly delete half of the chapter, forcing me to rewrite a big chunk, didn't help.  
**

* * *

 **11\. Urgency**

The water slid through her body and onto the tub, relaxing her muscles and washing away the accumulated filth gathered during her time in the dungeon. It was almost freezing, but Yang didn't mind. She enjoyed the cold, it was soothing in a way, how it contrasted with her own warmth. Her skin was red from all the scrubbing she gave it, massaging it with soap until no trace of her imprisonment was left. Her hair was still a tangled mess but at least it had returned to its shinning golden tone of origin. It felt good to take care of herself again, the army hadn't been too keen on showers, and neither was the prison.

Ruby, who had showered first, was now joining Penny at the room on the other side of the partition. They began trading stories about their adventures, and the dangers they had persevered through. She tried to mute the girls out, concentrating on her bliss rather than their words, but she utterly failed. She knew what would come next on her sister's tale, and even though she didn't want to hear it all over again, her mind could think of nothing else.

Blake hadn't been in her life for long, but she had been important to her. It had started as simple attraction, two girls entranced by each other's good looks, and Yang hadn't expected it to last or become more than physical. Yet it had, and what had begun as just sex, had grown and blossomed. Despite how different they were, they understood each other better than anyone else, and that quickly brought them together. And now she was gone.

She heard every single detail of Ruby's story, feeling the shackles on her heart tighten and crush once more.

She heard every little thing that monster had done to the woman she loved, anger and despair boiling inside.

She heard her sister's sobs while she recounted the events of that darkest of days, her own tears mixing with the water in which she bathed.

She heard Penny hold Ruby and offer comfort, knowing full well that there no one would come comfort her.

And finally, she heard the redhead utter the words she least expected.

"At least... Emerald won't hurt anyone again."

"Huh?" As the sobbing subsided, the archer voiced her confusion, mirroring Yang's. "What do you mean?"

"I ran into her while trying to find you and I... she's dead."

She felt fire burning within her, a swarm of emotions she could barely contain. There was a primal, twisted satisfaction in knowing vengeance had been dealt, but there was also frustration for having been the one to do it. The brawler felt disgusted by those feelings that assaulted her, and exited the bathtub in an attempt to busy herself and dispel the awful thoughts.

After drying her body, she picked a brush and ran it over her hair repeatedly, returning the golden locks to their former lustrous self. The automated action allowed her to engage in a meditative rhythm, burying the pain deep within where it couldn't bother her. It was even somewhat nostalgic to take care of her appearance like she used to in simpler times.

Her lilac eyes diverted to a stool where a new set of clothes awaited her. She was more than glad to be leaving the ragged apparel she had used in the dungeon, and the innkeeper had procured some new pieces at Penny's request. It was nothing too much, but it would do. The brown leather pants slid comfortably over her legs, and she rolled the faint yellow shirt's sleeves, making up for its excessive size, and tied it at the waist with a belt. Next she steeted on the boots, and took a second to appreciate the transformation.

On the other side of the partition the girls seemed to have quieted down, so Yang strolled over to figure out what they were up to. What she saw chilled her blood.

Penny lied on the bed, her back pressed against the headboard and her legs stretched forward. Ruby sat by her side, and was leaning over the ginger with a hand...

 _Yang shuddered._

...a hand on the former-statue's thigh, hiking up her skirt quite a bit. Neither of them seemed to notice the mortified blonde until she managed to regain her senses, and yell in the angriest of tones.

"REALLY? You're doing that NOW?"

The huntress jumped at the sound, and removed her fingers from Penny's leg. Both girls blushed furiously.

"We weren't... I was just checking Penny's condition, that's all!" Her voice was a squeal, stumbling to find words to hide the embarrassment.

"Oh, were you now? Then let me have a look." The eldest of the bunch decided to call their bluff, by whatever means necessary.

"...what?"

"You heard me. Move over so I can see it."

Ruby begrudgingly scooched away from the redhead, allowing her sister free access. Penny didn't move when the blonde touched her knee, staring at the skin up close.

"Oh crap, you weren't kidding."

Yang forgot all about her worries over her sibling's innocence. The infection was festering quickly, going beyond her knee and up into the thigh, leaving it a smooth white marble. She poked it, and it was hard, cold, like death. No amount of self-control could hide the terrified look on her face.

"This is bad..."

Ruby nodded.

"We don't have much time. We need to worry."

* * *

Her legs were numb and aching, strained from such an intense activity after being confined to a small cell for so long, but the discomfort could not damage her ecstatic mood. She was finally free and on the road, feeling the countryside breeze running on her face and rustling her hair. Yang felt liberated, unshackled by the duties of the military life and all the issues that came with it. She had jumped at the possibility of knowing the truth about their father, but after everything that had transpired she wasn't sure it had all been worth it. None of it mattered though, she was out forever and yearning to return to the peaceful house they had left behind.

She chuckled at her sister tenderly holding her bow as if someone was about to steal it from her. Apparently Ruby hadn't been too keen on letting go of her weapons at the entrance of the city, and upon retrieving them she had vowed to never let them go again. It was all quite amusing, especially considering that very same girl had been tyrannically forcing them way past their limits to get to back to the witch as soon as possible.

Yang sighed with a smile on her lips, never ceasing to walk on. Nothing could ruin the peace of mind she was in, definitely not the feelings of loss she vehemently refused to deal with to the point of denial. No, everything would be just fine. They would find the sorceress, cure Penny, and live worriless for the rest of their days. After all that they'd been through, they deserved their happy ending.

Nothing could go wrong... or so she thought.

Her wide grin immediately died out when they reached the vicinity of the target, and she saw the trail of destruction. Scorched earth and frozen trees, it was a nightmarish scene that filled with a sense of unease. There was something wrong in there, she was sure of it, and they were walking right up to it. Ruby didn't seem too fazed by the display, since she'd been there before, but that only made all the more upsetting. The blonde wanted with all her might to escape that place, but there was no other choice. She swallowed bile, trying to ignore the screaming feeling in her gut, and walked up to the hut.

The huntress entered first, followed by Penny and Yang in last.

"So you came back? I wasn't sure you'd make it."

The woman inside was beautiful but imposing, and Yang's unease worsened at the sight.

"I have what you asked for." Ruby handed the magician a rolled bedsheet from the Inn they had been to, and she unwrapped it to find the saber inside.

"The enchantment is gone..." She slid her fingers through the edge of the blade, contemplating the glimmering steel. "That idiot must've gotten it broken. Nevertheless, I'm impressed. You actually completed my request."

"So will you help us?"

"After you bring me to Weiss, yes."

"But you said-" Indignation flashed through the archer's silver eyes, but she was cut short.

"I said this was a test to see if you were trustworthy. You passed. Now you will take me to my sister, and only then will I help you. Do I make myself clear?" Winter spoke bluntly, with a sharp and demanding tone.

Ruby nodded, although frowning with displeasure. Smiling curtly, the white-haired woman got up and took a couple of steps forward.

"Good. So lead the way, I assume it will be a long travel ahead."

* * *

The voyage back home was lengthy, but above all it was awkward. Winter shadowed their every move in almost religious silence, refusing to partake in any of their conversations, or even their meals. She would merely disappear from sight at nightfall, when the girls set up camp, and only reappear in the morning to begin the hike again. She never seemed to be tired, almost like she wasn't human at all, and as time moved on Yang learned to dread her presence.

There was just so much wrong with that sorceress. Unlike Weiss, who had lashed out in rage on their only meeting, Winter didn't show much in the way of emotions. She only smiled, and watched over them, flaming eyes attentive like a vulture expecting its prey's demise.

The worst part was undeniably how she interacted with Ruby. The huntress was trying to remain chipper as usual, an understandable coping mechanism much like the one Yang was employing, but the witch seemed to take advantage of it. Whenever the youngster addressed her, she would drink every word of it, and although rarely speaking, she would incentivize the girl to keep talking. And she always had a perverse smiled on her lips, as if she was cooking up a way to kill them all.

She had whispered her concerns to Penny, hoping to find a sympathetic voice, but the ginger had dismissed it as the usual protectiveness driven from sisterly instinct. In truth, she knew Penny had her own struggles to deal with, so she dropped the issue. The sick girl had been getting worse by the day, and the extensive trip had given the infection enough time to become critical. The former-statue was pretending to be faring better than she actually was, that much was clear, but she had already gotten to the point of needing a crutch to keep up with them. Urgency was now deeper than ever before.

In the face of all that tension, the blonde was overjoyed to see their village appear in the distance. She had been the first to leave it behind, and not in the best of terms, but it still felt oddly right that the final stop of their long and arduous adventures would be home. Well, more specifically the clearing in the forest nearby. They didn't actually need to head to the old house straight away, and despite the yearning, Yang agreed to leave it be for the time being. If it meant keeping the witch unaware of where they lived, she would always be in favor. Witches and magic had only brought misfortune to their lives, and she wanted it to end as soon as possible.

They trekked away from the village and through the woods, absolute silence befalling the group. Anticipation was building up as the final destination grew closer. Soon all would be over, and that realization shunned the girls of all words.

The forest looked still yet watchful, just like it always had, but there was definitely something different about it. Yang didn't notice it, of course, she wasn't familiar enough with the fauna and flora of the area, but it was there nonetheless: life. Animals roamed around, although skittishly avoiding their presence, their cries clear for the attentive ear to listen. Trees and bushes grew unevenly, from petite to enormous, unbothered by the atmosphere that had once tormented nature. Magic had left for good, and the forest was healing the scars it had imposed.

The brawler found the clearing to be much smaller than she remembered. The line of plant-life circling it was tentatively starting to cross the border, limiting the space. The tulips still prevailed inside, but the careful set garden had given way to a sprawling growth of the flowers, free from any constraints. At the center, however, still stood the podium that used to house Penny, a permanent reminder of her essence and origin.

Yang was shocked to see the former-statue walk up to it and kneel down, stretching an arm forward as if to nuzzle it. She didn't appear fearful of it, just slightly sad for some reason. She was the first one to descend the pit, followed by Ruby, then Yang and Winter, who seemed to start growing weary of waiting.

The cave that had once been a laboratory was in a state far from the blonde's expectations. Instead of dusty bookshelves and tables, there was... nothing. No furniture or anything resembling human touch, just rubble scattered throughout the rocky cavern, and the frost pillar at its core.

She sought an explanation from Ruby, who complied with a meek smile.

"After Penny began having symptoms, and it became clear we needed a witch, we... destroyed everything in here."

"What? And she was okay with that?"

"It was her idea actually. Weiss Schnee said it was place of great power, and we didn't want it all to happen again."

Their conversation died out when the sorceress hit the ground, and began running up to the block of ice.

"Weiss..."

She observed the frozen person inside with wide unbelieving eyes, a resting white-haired girl with a scar over her left eye, and an ivory dress bearing a small cut on the chest, from which sprouted a red petal of blood.

"So it's true, she... How?" The magic-wielder didn't face them, not taking her sight off of her target, her expression impossible to discern.

"She did it to herself." Penny was the one who answered. She had been the one who saw it happen, after all.

The older woman nodded and began her work. She touched the arcane pillar with one hand, and with the other drew a circle in the air. She was muttering something under her breath, while still gesturing a strange incantation. An orange glyph materialized on the floor, and slowly the ice began melting, pooling the floor with water. She held the girl in her arms, keeping her from falling when she was unshackled from her prison. The tinge of blood vanished, and the wound closed, cauterized by the scorching vapors of the enchantment.

Slowly, Weiss Schnee coughed and feebly began moving, as the other witch held her. She gradually opened her eyes, and stared with confusion.

"Where am I? Who are you?"

"Oh Weiss, my dear sister, I can't believe I found you. Everything's going to be alright."

"Winter?" She jumped onto her feet and out of the other's grasp, betrayal splattered across her pale blue irises. "You're not my sister."

"Of course I am. You're just confused, we haven't seen each other for so long."

Weiss' tone became irate and loud.

"I don't care how long it's been, you're not Winter! She has blue eyes, no amount of time can change that!"

 _Winter_ laughed loudly.

"That's it? The color of my eyes? You know how long I spent making this disguise?"

Yang had no idea what was going on, and, by the looks on their faces, neither did Ruby or Penny. They remained quiet, trying to make sense of the events unfolding before them.

"Who are you?"

With a flick of her wrist, the woman's hair became pitch black, and her dress a deep crimson. It was astonishing how a mere color swap had turned her into a completely different person. She smiled, but there was no warmth in it, just a twisted display of victory, her burning eyes finally found their prey.

"Let's just say I'm someone who has been looking for you for a very long time. You can call me Cinder."

* * *

 **I wasn't too sure about this Cinder reveal, but here it is. I'm not even sure I like this chapter, it feels a lot weaker than my usual, but maybe it's just all in my head. Maybe you enjoyed it, I don't know.**

 **I can't promise when the next one will be up. It will probably be a while.**

 **If you want to review, I'd really appreciate it. I would've dropped this fic if it wasn't for you guys.**


	12. Give Up Fighting

**For those of you who asked about Cinder's eyes, I never directly mentioned their color, but repeatedly described them as "flaming" or "burning". Maybe it could've used some heavier foreshadowing.**

* * *

 **12\. Give Up Fighting**

"Cin...der? Who are you? Where's my sister?"

"Don't worry, she's somewhere safe. You'll see her soon enough." The raven-haired woman smiled twistedly, savoring every syllable of her lie.

Weiss recoiled at the other's tone, backing away to escape the grasp of that new and untrustworthy sorceress.

"Why should I trust you?" She had spent her life feeling used, knowing she was seen only as powerful merchandise, so the telltale signs were evident. She didn't know how, but that woman intended to use her as a disposable tool.

Once again, Cinder laughed loudly. She snapped her fingers, and a score of fiery rope materialized, binding the younger witch's wrists together. Weiss felt the flames burning into her skin, and focused her power in snuffing them out with ice, only to find her energy lacking. Whatever those shackles were, they drained her ability to perform magic, limiting her to a mere cold aura around the binds, to protect her from burning.

Eyes wide in panic, she backed out more, until her back hit the wall of the cave. Cinder, who had kept up the pressure by matching her every step, leaned over and pressed her arms on the rock behind her. She could feel the woman's heat emanating from her skin, the body just shy of touching hers. It would've been seductive, were it not for the fact that the elder magic-wielder was practically threatening her physically.

The offender then moved her head so that her lips were as close as humanly possible to the girl's ear, and whispered in a low voice.

"Are you going to be a good girl, or do I have to discipline you?"

Her whole body shivered. She didn't want to be disciplined. She didn't want the woman's breath on the side of her face or her body so close to hers. She didn't want that woman touching her, or being anywhere near her. She felt like vomiting just at the thought, and she opened her mouth to scream, to beg for someone to come save her from that vile thing which insisted on tormenting her. She looked around the room in search of anyone, and what she found was nothing but a painful reminder.

She saw Ruby, Yang and Penny, frozen in place, unable to act on or even understand what was happening before them. They had no reason to help her, not after what she had done. They were simply a memento of how alone she was in the world. She would die at the hands of that disgusting madwoman, and the audience would do nothing. Why would they? She had brought them nothing but pain.

"If you behave, maybe I'll let you see dear Winter alive."

"What... what have you done to her?"

"Nothing yet. I was hoping she'd lead me to you, and now here you are, ready to join big sis in my dungeon."

She felt like crying, like crumbling into a sobbing mess in the face of that insurmountable peril. Without her magic she was utterly helpless, just a powerless quivering girl.

She remained firm, however, like the proud Schnee she was. Her family name had once meant something to her, all those years ago before being sent away to that forsaken village. She was part of a lineage of spellcasters, like her sister Winter, and in that war-ravaged world magic meant power. Those of power couldn't be seen displaying weakness, and risk giving the populace ideas of equal standing and retaliation. That was the reason they hid behind curtains and far-off voices, to create an aura of mysticism and awe that would prevent any backstabbing.

"Good. Now let's go."

Weiss felt her wrists being dragged forward, as if pulled on by an invisible rope, and moved her legs to keep up with the momentum. She was guided until the three girls who were yet immobile from both shock and confusion. Ruby, in particular, looked impatient. There was no pity in her silver eyes, because she didn't care what happened to Weiss, the one responsible for everything that had happened to them. No, instead she appeared to be itching for that ordeal to end, and to finally see her friend restored to normal.

"She's coming with us." Cinder pointed at Penny as she spoke, making the ginger take a fearful step back.

"But you said-" The huntress voiced her indignation, but the witch interrupted it with a dry tone.

"I know what I said, that doesn't mean I was telling the truth. In fact, I could kill you right here and now, but I won't because I appreciate what you did for me. That's all the payment you'll get for your services, and I'd even call that generous."

"You can't just take her!" Yang took her turn to display her anger.

"I can and I will. Let me put it this way: the girl will be alive and safe as long as she's with me. You can't promise the same, so all in all I'm doing her a favor."

"Can you... can you please stop talking like I'm not here?"

All eyes turned to the former statue.

"What will you do to me?"

"I will study you, stone come to life isn´t an easy feat and I wish to know how to do it." The answer was far simpler than any of them expected, not even tainted by malice.

"LIKE HELL YOU W-"

"Ruby, it's okay." Penny placed a hand upon the shoulder of her friend, ceasing her yelling. The redhead appeared calm, not at all afraid. "Don't fight this."

The young archer look at the girl with betrayal in her silver eyes.

"Do you want to go with her?"

"I... No! But what do you think will happen if you struggle? I'll be forced to go anyway, and you... I can't allow what happened to Blake to repeat itself." The red-hooded girl flinched at the mentioned of the fallen lycan.

"Listen to her, Rose. She's being quite reasonable."

Ruby ignored Cinder, still staring at her friend. She didn't understand why Penny would be so willing to leave her, to live the rest of their lives apart.

"Please, Ruby. Let me go. I'm not really your friend if I don't do this. You and Yang helped me and protected me so much already, now it's my turn"

"Penny..." Tears were beginning to flow out of her reddened eyes.

"I need to know you're safe. And besides, we won't really be apart, will we?"

Weiss caught on to a glimpse of understanding from the huntress, but as hard as she tried she couldn't piece what it was that fueled it. If the fire sorceress was as dangerous as it would appear, those two would never see each other alive again. In the end she decided that the girls were probably just talking about foolish notions of bonds that transcend distance, after all Ruby had always possessed a flair for lameness.

She saw Cinder rolling her eyes impatiently as the two girls hugged goodbye, shedding the final tears, and then as Yang joined in, crushing them both together. The ivory witch wondered why her captor was being so lenient with the emotional farewells, but she uttered no word over it, and so no answer presented itself.

She was dragged out of the cave, and along with the former statue, they began their long march towards the terrifying unknown.

* * *

By the time their voyage was coming to a close, Penny wasn't even able to walk on her own anymore. The cane had turned out not to be enough, as the disease had overtaken almost the entirety of her legs, and all she could do was drag them helplessly through the way.

Cinder had forced Weiss to help carry the fading girl, since otherwise they wouldn't be able to advance at all, and that meant releasing her shackled hands. She could still feel the invisible handcuffs around her wrists, pushing against her skin and restraining her magic, but being able to move freely was undeniably a victory. Not that having a heavy stone-like body hanging by her shoulder was the most freeing of situations, yet the added flexibility allowed her to subtly test the limits of her powerlessness. Despite the lock on her spellcasting, there was still a little bit of energy flowing through her, probably left untouched by her captor just so she could survive the eventuality of a surprise attack. She would still be too weak to actually fight back, and most of that power was currently being spent supporting Penny's weight.

She pitied the redheaded girl. Seeing one's end creeping closer and closer, every second passed only further sealing her demise. There was nothing she could do about it, her fate resting in cruel hands of providence. It was a suffering Weiss could understand, being alone and deprived of a choice, or means to create one. Power and freedom might not always go hand in hand, but she knew a pain of the sort, and did not desire it on anyone.

It had been years since her family had sent her off to some secluded village in the middle of nowhere. At first, the young witch had taken that responsibility with pride, the chance to make a difference, apply all her knowledge to practice. Soon after, she began realizing that she wasn't there to help, all she had were petty and unimportant matters, facilitating the lives of people she didn't care for. It was a prison, a far-off cell from where she could not bother anyone. She could've escaped, but where would she go? She had nowhere where she was wanted; her family clearly hated her, since they'd hidden her away from sight. So she elected to stay, hoping that one day it would all be explained, and her strife be filled with meaning. And time after time, nothing came, and her bitterness only seeped further into her heart. She hated those people, who refused to acknowledge her as an actual human, treating her as only a tool. She hated her family for putting her through with all that. She hated Rose, the girl who suffered just like her, but refused to give in to the pain.

Now all of it felt pointless, all her rage and desire for power, it had reaped no rewards. Instead, she would be dead soon, and her entire life had been for naught.

They arrived, but Weiss didn't find the strength to react. What was the point? She wouldn't be alive for long anyway.

It was a beautiful villa on a cliffside, a house fit for a king. They were completely silent as they entered, not even Cinder said a word. Hospitality hadn't been on the menu from the start. The building was quiet, apart from one single figure who ran through the hallway at the sight of them.

"Cinder, you're back!"

"Mercury. Where's your partner?" The host scowled menacingly at the grey-haired boy, who responded with a solemn expression of his own. He was more than likely accustomed to the forceful nature of his employer.

"I don't..." He began answering, but was interrupted by a frail laughter. Weiss turned to Penny, as did the other two, in hopes of finding out what she thought was so funny.

"You're looking for... Emerald, right? She's dead. I killed her."

Mercury's face twisted monstrously and he jumped at her, but before he could reach the target, his body was thrown violently against the wall. Cinder looked directly at his eyes, and made a disapproving hum.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"She killed Em! She deserves to die!"

"If you wanted that fool to survive, maybe you should have protected her, no? I sent you two idiots on a simple mission, and you not only spectacularly failed, but Emerald even managed to be killed? Maybe I should do the same to you, so you'll stop disappointing me."

His eyes widened in realization. She was not forgiving, and he had failed her.

"Oh don't worry, dear. I won't kill you **yet**. You can still be useful to me. Now be a good pet and escort our guest to the dungeon." She smiled, and he was released from the grip holding him against the wall.

Without another word, the raven-haired sorceress took off, leaving them on their own. Mercury motioned for the two girls to follow him, and walked to a nearby door. Inside was a flight of stairs, descending into darkness. He trailed ahead, and at the end opened a door, pointing at the inside. She took a step towards shadowy room, grabbing Penny with her, and entered the dungeon.

Weiss heard the door shutting itself behind them, and navigated blindly through the darkness before finding a seemingly desolate corner and easing the redhead onto the floor. Penny groaned a thank you, and she left her behind to try to assess their situation, now that her eyes were adjusted to the lack of light in the environment.

The dungeon appeared to be a large room carved into the bedrock of the hill, rough and unpolished walls vaguely shaping a massive cell, which could easily house tens of prisoners. There were a few buckets hidden away in one corner, and though she did not approach them she knew what was in them, and shallow barrels scattered throughout for a purpose she did not understand. Lastly, she saw a handful of people sitting on the floor, broken and defeated looks on their faces, so despair-ridden that they didn't even bother to glance at the newcomers. She began trying to count how many other prisoners there were, but was almost immediately interrupted by a voice calling out to her.

"Weiss?"

She turned to face the sound, and saw a tall woman walking up to her. Taking a preemptive step back, she prepared for the worse, but a pair of hands still made their way to her face, touching it softly. Now up close, she saw icy blue eyes staring back at her.

"Weiss, is that really you?"

"Winter?"

The two embraced, and she forsook the fight against her feelings, allowing tears to freely pour out. After all that time, it was rewarding to find a familiar face amidst that catastrophe, even if they hadn't seen each other in years.

"I can't believe it's really you."

Weiss couldn't believe it either; neither could she believe the state in which her sister was in. She couldn't even begin to imagine how long the woman had been imprisoned there, but the effects were clear. The once proud Winter Schnee was now nothing more than a shadow of her former self. She too appeared to have been deprived of her magic, and was struggling to keep up the illusion of immaculate appearance she used to be a master of.

Letting go of the hug, they both sat on the floor, awkwardly staring at each other. Too much time had passed for them to be comfortable with each other as siblings ought to. However, in that pitiful and hopeless place, Weiss failed to feel the contempt she expected to. That was not the situation she had envisioned being reunited with her family in, and the carefully rehearsed speech she had prepared for the occasion, filled with anger and shouting, slipped from her mind.

"I'm so sorry, Weiss. I tried to keep her from getting to you, but..."

"Who is she?"

"Cinder Fall. A witch who found an old forbidden ritual to steal our ability to channel magic, enhancing her power in the process. She's been around for years, being a nuisance, but none of us thought she was that much of a threat until... well, until it was too late." There was but a drop of bitterness in her words, her speech mostly clouded in defeat.

"But how long does she intent to keep us here?"

"I don't know. Most other sorceresses I met were here only a couple of days before she killed them, but I've been here for... I don't even know how long anymore."

"Why? Does it have anything to do with... our family?"

"I assume so. Magicians don't usually have children, so it's uncommon for this power to be hereditary, like it is for us. That might change something in her plan, I don't know."

She quietly reflected on those new pieces of information, wondering what it would mean for their future. She very much wanted to escape, but try as she might, she wasn't managing to find a breach in Cinder's defenses. They couldn't even send a message to the outside asking for help, not that anyone would want to rescue them.

"We tried to send you away where she could never find you, but in the end I guess it didn't matter." Weiss was caught off-guard by that confession, and struggled to make sense of it.

"What do you mean? Was that... was that why you and father sent me to that far-off village?"

"We wanted you to be safe, while we took care of this mess. I was going to get you once it was over, but she... father is dead, Weiss."

She forced a scowl onto her lips, but it was fake. It had been too long; years since they'd sent her away. She had long since given up on the stern man.

"So, what's the plan? How do we get out?"

The older woman answered with a tired look.

"There's no plan. There's no way out. Trust me, I've tried everything. All we can do is sit here and await the day she finally decides to kill us."

Weiss swallowed dryly at those words, at the despair and resignation within them. The imprisoned sorceress had decided to give up fighting, that the effort was no longer worth it. It was such a far cry from the unyielding woman she remembered from the past. Despite having lost faith in her father, a part of her never forgot the memory of her sister, a woman who was harsh but caring and tender. That thing was not her sister.

Feeling utterly sick, she grew silent, forcing the conversation to die down. Soon, Winter succumbed to her exhaustion and drifted to sleep, but she was not yet ready to be broken. She was determined to find a way to escape, even with her diminished powers, the reunion with her sibling only further enhancing her conviction. But first, she decided to check on Penny. It was her fault the girl was both imprisoned and dying, and there was a tinge of guilt poking at her head. She had attacked the statue and her friends due to a thirst for power, but as it turned out that power served only to her downfall.

She got up and dusted off her dress, which was probably nowhere near white anymore, before walking up to where she had left the ginger. Penny was hiding beneath two barrels, and she appeared to be mumbling something. The witch stopped for a second trying to make sense of the babble but the volume was too low to understand. The disease had to have begun spreading to her head if she was now talking to herself. If that was the case, she was already beyond help.

As Weiss moved around the barrier, she became even more confused. The girl was kneeling down, talking to a stone laid on the floor.

"..I'm scared."

"What are you doing?"

Penny jerked her head violently, and shuffled what strength her body still to try to cover the red stone in front of her.

"What is that?"

She received no answer from the girl, but instead another voice was heard, seemingly coming from the gem.

"Penny, is something wrong?"

"Is that..." Her pale blue eyes widened with sudden realization. "Is that Rose?"

Penny swallowed dryly, and crawled away, allowing her passage. Upon closer inspection, she saw an image emitting from the stone, shaping Ruby's face out of thin air.

"Oh. It's you." The huntress didn't even bother to mask her displeasure.

"You can talk to her? When were you going to tell me about this, you dolt?" She directed her reprimanding tone at the former sculpture, who still looked terrified.

"You tried to kill us... Why would I?"

"Why? Because this is our key out of this place! A magic object that Cinder doesn't know about!"

"Really? How?"

"If this transmits two ways, I can use it to send a pulse that can guide your friends to where we are, like a compass. Even with my magic tamed, it shouldn't be a problem."

"And why should I trust you?" Weiss turn to look at the image of the dark-haired archer, who had spoken. She seemed cautious, but it was clear there was a spark of hope in her silver eyes.

"Because I'm your only hope of seeing Penny ever again."

* * *

 **Writer's block and I still end up making this the third longest chapter in the story. Anyway, how did you like it? We're really close to the end now.  
**

 **Oh, and if anyone's interested, /r/RWBY hosts a Fanfic Bookclub, and next Tuesday (16th) will be about _The Girl Made of Marble,_ which is very exciting. Go over there if you want to discuss the story. I originally wanted to have this one finished by then, but sadly life doesn't always go as planned.**


	13. Soon to Crumble

**I'm really sorry about how long it took me to post this chapter. Writing has been quite the rollercoaster, but I hoped to have this done sooner. I didn't, and I apologize.**

* * *

 **13\. Soon to Crumble  
**

Looking at his boss sitting across the table from him, Mercury wondered what went inside her head. As long as he had been serving her, he still could barely hope to understand the intricacies of her mind. He didn't fancy himself a smart man, far from it, he knew his place and didn't dare stray in the slightest, but Cinder was a puzzling person nonetheless.

She loved power, that much was clear. Not theoretical power, the _ability_ to decide and control others, but the act itself, the feeling of holding someone's life in their hands and squeezing it to make them twitch. It wasn't truly a question of sadism, despite pleasure playing a definitive part, because it wasn't the pain itself she enjoyed, just the surge of power it entailed. One would think that was the extent of the flame sorceress' personality, but that was the front that most people saw, right before they met their swift and painful demise. He knew there was more to it, although he couldn't quite put his finger on what.

There was an ever-burning blaze in her eyes, the fires stoked by her intense character, but even those embers flickered and swayed with the wind, and sometimes he would catch a glimpse of rage and spite where none was to be expected. A prisoner's pleas, or a soldier's willingness for sacrifice, small thing that start a pyre inside the woman and drive away her cold semblance in exchange for a burning bringer of death. He couldn't understand why she did it, what was about those things that set her off so much.

He knew better than to ask, of course, but he suspected it had to do with the past. It always had to do with the past, just like his own issues. He had lived through complicated upbringings, a life full of pain, not all of it his.

Having been practically born with a knife in hand, his father had wanted to make him the best fighter there was. He had been made to train ever since he could walk, exercised each day until his muscles gave out in agony. If his father was in a good mood, he'd get rewarded with a meal. If he was feeling afoul, which happened increasingly often because of the drinking, he would get a thrashing and be left starving.

Much like an animal conceived from inside a cage, he hadn't thought to escape. He hadn't even considered fighting back, not for years. Instead, he believed the violence and the pain to be his fault, that if he tried hard enough, it would stop. But then, with the passing of time, he understood. He understood that his father was nothing but a vile man, who didn't want a child, he wanted a weapon. He understood, while looking at his guardian's mangled and bloodied corpse, that he was just the same. Vile, twisted, a monster. And, honestly, he didn't mind.

He had become a powerful fighter, and a ruthless killer. He had no home left to return to, not after torturing and killing the man, and burning their house down. All he had was the road, and the knife on his belt. Who would dare to face the most skilled assassin in the country? Who would be capable to hurt him like his father had? No, instead he could hurt others as he pleased. Life was unfair, and it was about time people understood that.

Evidently, Cinder knew all of that. He had no doubt that was why she had picked him, just like that was the reason she had picked Emerald. He hadn't been too fond of his old partner, but he actually somewhat missed her. Her foolishness was, at the very least, entertaining to watch.

His introspection was interrupted, as the raven-haired woman took a sip of her herbal brew – which seemed to be so hot it released a pillar of smoke towards the ceiling – and set it down on the plate.

"You're staring an awful lot, Mercury. Are you thinking again? You know how I feel about you thinking." There was no malice in her tone, nor was it demanding. She knew he'd comply without requiring intimidation.

Mercury blinked in confusion, and lowered his gaze down to the table, from which he picked up a piece of bread and chewed on it. It was hard, almost stale, but he knew he didn't deserve better. It was good enough that she allowed to sit at the table.

 _"Dogs aren't supposed to think. They just obey."_

That was what he was, a dog. Her guard dog, making sure no one disturbed her. Her hunting dog, finding and collecting the poor souls she required for her experiments. Her lap dog, that sat when she told him to, and jumped when she willed it. He knew his place, and he was fine with it. After all, it was better than being a son.

"Well, since you're feeling intellectual today, tell me: why do you work for me?"

And once again, there she was acting strange. He didn't understand the point of asking such a question. Was it a measurement of loyalty, or a display of dominance? Mercury had no idea, so he tried to answer non-chalantly.

"I don't have anything better to do."

"So you would betray me if you found something better to do?"

He almost choked on the bread.

"As if. You'd reduce me to ashes if I did."

"So you're afraid of me?"

"Yes." He didn't think twice before answering, and his word were dry and emotionless.

"Good." Her lips curled into a twisted smile. "Maybe you're not so dumb after all."

Cinder leaned seductively towards him, and he thanked all the gods that there was still a table between them. In that position, her low cut was hardly doing anything to cover her voluptuous chest, and Mercury was using all his concentration to keep his gaze on her face.

"What if I told you I'm just doing this for someone else, and there's a puppeteer pulling my strings just like I pull yours?"

He snorted loudly. "Yeah right, someone powerful enough to control you. And I'm a three-legged wyvern."

The witch chuckled at his response, and return to her normal graceful position atop her chair.

"Aren't you a good, trusting little dog. Bark for me, Mercury."

He opened his mouth to obey, but she interrupted.

"Maybe later. Right now I have other uses for you."

"What do you need."

"Fetch me Weiss Schnee. It's about time we found a replacement for Emerald."

"What? You can't be-" His displeasure was met by flaming eyes that demanded compliance. "Yes, ma'am. I'll go right away."

He stood up and exited the room, navigating that house he knew so well towards the dungeon. He didn't want another partner, much less that arrogant white-haired sorceress. She would only be a nuisance, and he doubted she'd be willing to properly take orders. Well, at least he'd get to see Cinder train and discipline her. He had a feeling he'd enjoy watching that one scream.

After descending into the darkness of the prison, he unlocked the door and entered with plenty of ruckus. He wanted all of them to know he had arrived, fear was the main key to keeping well-behaved prisoners. If they thought no harm was approaching their way, they would soon begin harboring thoughts of mutiny. Not that he'd mind a little brawl, in fact he was itching for one of them to get brave, so he could take out some of his built-up frustrations.

Locating the one he was after, he walked up to her and grabbed her by the wrist and forced her to stand. She resisted, but the time imprisoned had already taken most of the spirit out of her.

"Hey! Where are we going?"

"Boss wants to see you."

He ignored her other questions, and dragged her upstairs, pulling her arm roughly. When they reached the designated room, he pulled the door open and pushed her inside, the sudden impact making her trip and fall on the wooden floor. Making no motion to help her up, he walked up to a corner and leaned against the wall, eager to watch the show.

Cinder was sitting down in the middle of the room, her slender legs crossed over one another, waiting for the other woman to get up. As soon as it happened, she began.

"Hello there, Weiss. I see prison has made more agreeable."

The ivory magician scoffed with spite. "What do you want from me? Are you finally going to kill me?"

Mercury prayed the answer would be yes, but he was disappointed.

"Oh my dear, but on the contrary. You're here because I want to make you an offer."

At that, Weiss laughed mockingly, despite the ever-present frown on her face. "Whatever you are selling, I'm not interested."

Cinder's dark lips contorted, and she got up from her chair.

"Are you sure? And here I was, hoping we could help one another." She took small steps, forcing the younger witch to back away.

"Help one another? What, you expect me to work for you? After you imprisoned me and my sister, left us to starve in that dark cell?" There was a mixture of anger and confusion in those blue irises, a feeling he could relate to. He didn't understand why Cinder wanted that woman's help, or why she thought Weiss would agree, but he wanted nothing more. It was commonplace for recruitment meetings to end in blood. He could still remember the last time, a petty ginger boy who thought he was good enough to make demands of the sorceress. He had begged between sobs in the end, and the pathetic display was worth having to clean up what was left of him.

"That's exactly what I expect. You will work for me, and do as I command."

"I would rather die than serve you."

"Then you will. You, your sister, even that marble girl just for good measure. There will be nothing left of you to find, and the world will forget your very existence." Cinder's tone was growing impatient, and the fire in her eyes was beginning to pour out, lending a blazing aura to her whole body.

"You wouldn't have brought us all the way here if you wanted to kill us. You need me. You need my power. And that's why you won't lay a finger on either of us."

"NEED?" The flame witch let out a deranged cackle. "You think I NEED you?"

She held on to her sides as laughter ravaged her. Mercury had never seen her act in such a manner in all his years of service. It wasn't the calculating woman he remembered, always plotting the world's downfall. It was different, it was... insanity.

"Why would I _need_ a cockroach like you? I could destroy you with a flick of a wrist right here right, now." She once again walked forward, forcing Weiss against a wall.

"That's the funny thing about needing someone. You can always find someone else to take their place. For example..." She waved her arm in the air, drawing an intricate pattern.

Mercury couldn't quite place his finger on what, but something felt wrong about that whole ordeal. Cinder was behaving out-of-control, like a wild beast on a crazed rampage. He only understood the situation when the burning sensation began emanating from inside his body.

"...I _need_ Mercury to do my bidding..."

The heat underneath his skin became more intense, pain seething in every bone and muscle. He screamed, the agony impossible to bear.

"...but that doesn't make him untouchable."

As his blood boiled even further, the pain drove consciousness to start drifting away, and he fell on the floor. The steaming liquid, never ceasing to grow hotter, began burning his insides, destroying him from within. He gasped frantically, for the sweet feel of the cool air outside, but his throat filled with nothing but dark red blood. His failing lungs gave out, scorched by the temperature, and he slowly suffocated, resting lifeless atop the floorboards.

"Do you understand?"

* * *

Penny was alone.

She had known loneliness deeply within her lifespan, her days as a cursed statue in that garden of solitude were still firmly imprinted into her memory. She had known the pain of having no one, yet the feeling assaulting her was different, and infinitely worse. Company was not all that had been taken away from her, but also hope, friendship, happiness. She had nothing left. She was empty.

Together with Weiss Schnee, the witch who had once betrayed them, she had been able to call for help, but there was no solace to be found in that fact. She wished Ruby wasn't coming, running off once again to her rescue. How many times had the huntress risked all for her sake? How long would it be until that eagerness to help got her hurt, or killed? What was there even to save? After all, she was just a foolish statue that had dreamed of being human. For a while she had managed to delude herself that she truly was a girl, a living and thinking creature made of flesh. Now, the ever growing marble skin reminded her once again: she wasn't a person. She was just another monster, pretending to be something she was not. How could she be human if she could no longer touch, feel warmth and cold, or even joy. There was only emptiness inside her, hollow stone that was soon to crumble.

Even if Ruby made it, and somehow managed to defeat those who kept her captive, it would be too late. She was beyond the point of return, almost nothing left of her former human-like self. She had no idea how long she'd been in that prison, but it had been long enough for the disease to enter its final stage. Her legs were entirely of stone, so far gone that she couldn't move them anymore, and her arms were just about at that point, only a thread keeping them barely functional. She couldn't use her hands, and the only way of moving was to drag herself around. Her torso had been taken over halfway already, only further hindering her mobility. Her throat felt harsh and parched, no doubt festering as well. The worst of all, however, was her head. It had begun by the tips of her hair, slowly gaining a white hue. Then it had festered until the roots, and into her skull. Now, it had turned to stone all but the right side of her face, from the chin to the brow. The infected eye had stopped working, rendered only into a white surface, and she dreaded to think of the day that would happen to the remaining one. She could speak, although with great effort, but was incapable of even smile. Not that there was a reason to.

When Ruby made it, it wouldn't matter anymore. She would be nigh-dead, and she did not desire that sight on her friend. Her one and only friend, the one she cared about more than anyone in the world. Was she really her friend, or was that only another one of her delusions? She didn't know, but it mattered not. They had seen the last of each other.

She kept sitting down on the floor, amidst the darkness of the dungeon, and waited for death to claim her. It was taking long, but it had to be close now. There was no fear in that wait, just resignation. Anything would be better than the limbo she currently inhabited.

Time passed - she didn't care how much - but death didn't come for Penny. Instead, Weiss Schnee did.

"Can you stand? Cinder wants to see you."

The redhead shook her head, and was met by a weary sigh. Weiss crouched in front of her and grabbed her arms, lifting her up and dragging her out of the cell. Penny groaned from the sting in her strained muscles, and Weiss looked at her guiltily.

"I'm so sorry."

"No, you're not." She put all she had left in that accusation. After all the Schnee had done, she wouldn't stand for letting her excuse her actions.

Once atop the stairway, they passed through the door to the outside, making Penny wonder why they were moving away from it. She had no hopes of surviving, but the white witch did, and it was odd how someone with such a professed lust for power wasn't at least trying to break free from Cinder tyrannical grip.

When Weiss opened the door, she struggled to distinguish what lied inside the room, as most of it was to her left, the territory of her stone eye. However, it didn't take a genius to figure out the mastermind would be there, and that was exactly what transpired once she was set down on a chair. Unlike before, the wooden contraption didn't crack and break under her weight. To her mind, that was almost even funny. Even in returning to marble, she wasn't regaining the strength and power she used to have before. That was the price for her arrogance, thinking she could fly so close to the sun, but now her wings had burnt and she was plunging to her demise.

"So? How are you doing?" Cinder's voice was calm, almost amicable.

Penny grimaced at her, or at least tried to the best of her abilities.

"Not well, I see. Does it hurt?"

"No."

"Good, good. Are you ready to talk now?"

She stared directly into the sorceress's' eyes, and offered no response.

"How are you alive? What kind of magic was used for it?" The dark-haired woman spoke with hunger dripping in every word, yearning for the secrets she believed the sickly girl to possess.

"Maybe you should ask her." Penny turned her head to gesture towards Weiss, who was standing behind her. She couldn't see the young witch's reaction, but there was clearly a trade of glances between the magic-wielders.

"I'm not talking about how you turned... human." Something about how Cinder pronounced that word ticked her off, it sounded almost scornful. "I mean how you came to be. It's clearly not natural to be able to create life, even for us. I want to know how it was done."

"I told you before. I don't know. Father vaguely explained it to me but that was too long ago."

Cinder was evidently displeased by the answer received, her lips once again twisting monstrously.

"Maybe I should just get it out of you by force. A little pain might help you remember."

The ginger almost jumped in her seat, startled by the threat. The infection threatening to take her life was insidious, but it wasn't causing physical pain. Torture would take that very last comfort away; it was far too cruel.

"Weiss, do you mind doing th-" The puppeteer never finished that sentence, interrupted by a thunderous sound coming from just outside the room.

The sound echoed again, and nearby wall suddenly collapsed, the impact sending Penny tumbling on the floor. She swore there was a red blur coming in through the newly created opening, but she was just... so... tired...

"Ru...by?"

Penny lost consciousness.

* * *

 **Mercury's perspective was really fun to write. Penny's... not so much. And I ended up cutting some of the worst parts, be thankful for that. This chapter was originally way, _way_ darker.  
**

 **As always, leave a review if you can. I love hearing from you guys. And I'll try to take less time for the next. _I'll try..._**


	14. Don't go

**A new chapter of _To Marble We Return_? It's a Christmas Miracle!**

* * *

 **14\. Don't go...**

Ruby stopped to stare at the house from under the cliffside, steadying her breath in the process. It was quite beautiful, she thought, but not for long. They would tear it down to pieces if that's what it took to get Penny back. She had come too far for victory to slip from her fingers again. Fail or succeed, this would be the end of their story.

The others caught up to her, and they took faced the villa.

"This is it?" Yang placed her hand on the huntress' shoulder.

She checked the amber stone in her hand once more, just as she had countless time on the journey there, and nodded. The pulse generated by Weiss, their reluctant ally, pointed exactly to that house.

"You guys ready?" She turned around, checking with her back up: Coco, the _White Fang_ 's barkeeper, Yatsuhashi and Fox, the bodyguards, and Velvet, the kind-hearted shapeshifter. It hadn't been an easy choice to return to the swampy tavern to ask for help, a detour in the way that had cost them almost two days, but it had paid off immensely.

The long-haired brunette gave her an affirmative thumbs-up.

"Then let's go." She reached for her bow, removing it from her back, and crossed the last stretch of terrain between her and the end. Approaching the main door, she touched the door handle and confirmed it was locked, as she had already expected.

"Velvet, do you mind?"

"Do you want it to be quiet or loud?"

"Loud. We're probably expected anyway, so might as well make it a show." Yang smirked, and retrieved a pair of metallic greaves from her bag, discarding it afterwards. She put on the armor pieces, a remainder of her time in the royal army that she somehow had managed to keep, and strapped them in place. If her right hook was already something to be feared, with those she would pack so much more punch, which was fortunate, because they would surely be needing it.

They stepped back, giving space for the shifter to do her thing. She closed her eyes, focusing, and her form began widening. Her skin became gray and hardened, her skull distorting into a long and horned shape, her arms and legs becoming three times in width, and she dropped on all fours. The newly transformed rhino lowered its head, a position of readiness, and took off running.

The door shattered to pieces with the impact of the headbutt, but Velvet did not stop there. She kept running, taking with her all the furniture and walls that were in the way. Within a matter of seconds, there was a tunnel of destruction tearing through the house, leaving what was left on both sides ready to fall down as well at the last sign of pressure.

Ruby followed the raging animal inside, climbing through the smashed stone and wood structures that had once been a regal residence. She sped past rooms, her mind focused solely on finding her friend. The house was a blur, a mix and mash of colors in her eyes that sought nothing but bright orange. She nearly tripped on the rubble, but kept moving, entering yet another part of the house.

Her feet ceased to move before her head had even understood the sight in front of her. Penny was lying lifeless on the floor, not a trace of color left in her.

"You! I should've killed you the first time!"

The archer turned her head, facing the raging raven-haired sorceress, and Weiss Schnee who was by her side. She did not see humanity in their faces, only monsters. Monsters who were standing between her and helping Penny. Monsters that had hurt the innocent and helpless for the very last time.

She said no words, the time for parlay was long gone, instead drawing an arrow against the bowstring and watching it fly towards Cinder Fall. The projectile turned to ashes before it could reach its target.

"Pathetic." The witch growled under her breath, and walked towards the girl without rushing. She clenched her fingers in front of her, and a whip made of fire materialized between them. "I guess I'll have to teach you some manners."

The whip whistled in the air near her face, but Ruby didn't flinch, firing another arrow. Cinder approached even further, and raised her hand above her face to descend the whip down on the girl, but something stopped her.

Ruby saw it coming, but the sorceress barely did – a massive sword twice the length of her arm and equally as wide, leaping through the air along with her wielder, and descending on Cinder, who only managed to noticed the movement from the corner of her eye. Yatsuhashi hit her with full force, his blade turning a glowing orange simply from the contact, and she was sent flying against a wall, only further damaging the already unstable structure of the house. She raised to one knee, and then stood up, her eyes blazing with unspeakable anger.

Behind the swordsman gathered around the rest of his entourage, transformed out of their human appearances in preparation for the battle. Fox had his arms raised, pitch black bat wings extending from under them, and barring his sharp teeth in an intimidating growl. Coco had removed her beret, revealing underneath a set of curved horns, and her hands had twisted into long sharp claws made to slash and pierce flesh. Yatsu's arms had swollen like they were about to burst, thick and completely covered in brown fur much like a bear's, no doubt what allowed him to swing the humongous sword around. Velvet ran around a corner, back to her regular-looking self, and joined the team, prepared to unleash at a moment's notice.

"I see you brought friends. If you think that will be enough to stop me, you are sorely mistaken, girl." Cinder put weight into every single word, her rage transpiring into the way she spoke.

"We don't have to fight, you just need to let Penny go." Ruby almost jumped in surprise, had her nerves not been steeled for the fight, by the sound of Yang's voice coming from behind her.

"You think you can make demands of me?" The witch cackled manically. "I will enjoy watching you burn."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Yang bashed her gauntlets against each other, and took off in a sprint to the woman.

Cinder didn't even face her, merely snapping her finger together. The brawler kept approaching confidently, but a bar of ice coming from the opposite side of the room blocked her path, just nearly missing the girl's face. Weiss Schnee walked in, her white outfit dusty and torn, but carrying herself with poise and presence.

"Take care of those two, will you? I have a couple of animals to put down." The flame mage summoned her flame whip again, and didn't wait for an answer.

Ruby turned her sights to point at Weiss, and fire. Just like once before, her arrows dissipated in shards of ice crystals before reaching the target. Yang delivered a barrage of punches, attempting to predict and punish the magic-wielder's moves, succeeding in landing only one of the punches. Between the two, they were managing to take up the ivory-haired woman's entire attention, but not deal significant damage. As they had learned during their first tussle, the witch was much too strong for simple tactics to work, and even though both girl had grown since then, refining their abilities, it was still not quite enough.

"You backstabbing bitch!"

"Colorful as ever, Xiao Long." Her voice was unfazed by the fast-paced dance occurring.

"Was this your plan from the start? Luring us out here just to kill us?" Yang's fist struck only air, the face it meant to it already elsewhere.

"Believe me, I would love to get rid of Cinder as much as you, but she has me on a... leash." It was obvious by the way she spoke that she hated that very word.

"Then fight back! Do something worthy with yoyr life for once!"

"I told you I can't, you idiot! I can't even attack her directly, she has a spell on me!"

"Yang, you can stop." Ruby spoke dryly from behind them, knocking back another arrow. "She's done us nothing but harm, why would that change now?"

With that, the exchange ended abruptly, silence reigning again on the brawl. The archer focused on taking down any projectiles the witch herself might cast, letting her sister do the actual fighting. Other than superfluous damage, none of them was able to take the advantage, stuck in an impasse. The other fight happening nearby, however, was not having such luck.

Cinder had somehow managed to make copies of herself, mirror images built from flame and given shape, allowing her to even out the numbers in the fight. Each one of the non-humans facing off against her had a witch of his own to deal with, making the struggle much harder than it was supposed to be. Yatsuhashi was swinging his gigantic blade at the ellusive woman, attempting to hit an evasive targrt who seemed content in staying out of harm's way and applying small burns to yis body whenever possihle, slowly chipping away at his endurance. Velvet had transformed into a muscled gorilla, pounding at the ground with its hairy fists, the shockwaves of her hits keeping the woman at a distance, but at the same time preventing either of them to get within range to do any real damage. Fox and Coco were back to back with each other, clawing at the two Cinders in front of them, while supporting one another's defenses. Despite their best efforts, the four of them were slowly losing stamina without ever gaining any ground on the fight, and it was only about to get worse.

At the center of the three battlefields, a ball of flame appeared, slowly stretching and taking the form of a person. The fire became a silhouette of a slender body, and then it started to darken, becoming rigid. After a couple of seconds, color was visible at its surface, and soon it became yet another copy of Cinder. Now that the creatures were outnumbered, the scales tipped and the tide of the battle changed.

The newly-created witch walked towards Yatsuhashi, who had his back turned. She grabbed his arm just below the shoulder, and the fire in her hands burned through his skin, taking away his ability to handle the large weapon. He dropped the sword and screamed, but the opponents had already left him behind.

The two that had been fighting him moved away to join the two that were holding off Coco and Fox. The four of them raised their hands, circling around the pair, and spewed a stream of fire out of their palms, creating a ring of flame that engulfed them. Fox spread his wings, trying to fly out of it, but his right arm was caught by the stream, and as soon as he took off, he tumbled back to the ground, collapsing with his bat wing scorched and damaged. Coco closed her eyes and ran straight forward, tackling one of witches. They fell together, and the barkeep straddled the enemy down, clawing her throat out. The sorceress fell limp, and dissipated in smoke.

While Coco was still down, the three other Cinders caught up to her. She punched and scratched desperately like a cornered animal, but to no avail. One of the grabbed her by the horns, and punched her in the face.

Velvet roared furiously, seeing her team be taken out, and leapt at her foe, catching the magician off-guard and crushing her under those hulking hands, watching her too turn to smoke. She slammed her fists on her chest, screaming in a battle cry, and took a sprint to the group surrounding Coco. She swung her arms out wide, crashing into the trio of witches, forcing two of them to vanish as well, leaving only the original standing. Cinder backed away slightly, and Velvet seized the opportunity, shifting back into human form in one smooth motion.

"Ruby, I…" Velvet called out while quickly kneeling by Coco's side, pulling the succubus' arm over her shoulders.

"It's okay, go! We got this!" The huntress answered without looking, focusing her attention on the approaching Cinder. Asking them to stay would've certainly meant their death's, and she had put one too many lives at risk for the sake of her crusade, she refused to be the cause of another death. Together with Yang, they would somehow manage to pull through.

"YOU GOT THIS? ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT, GIRL?" The sorceress forsook chasing the retreating group, and instead weaved pillars of fire that erupted from the ground all around the area that had once been a room, forcing the archer to drop the offensive, just barely dodging the spell thrown at her.

With rage beyond comprehension burning in her eyes, Cinder cast a stream of projectiles at the two of them, fireballs flying through the air and homing in their direction. Ruby's cape caught on fire, so she was forced to unclasp it, letting the cloth fall on the floor.

Amidst the confusion, and the witch's power craze, Weiss fell forgotten. She had been pushed to the side, evading the firestorm that had targeted her just as much as the others, and gradually she was rendered useless. Every spell she began to summon dissipated in steam, her ice completely evaporated by the immense heat produced by her captor. Incapable pf fighting, she stepped to the side and removed herself from the battle.

The huntress moved backwards, trying to maintain ground from the new enemy moving in, shooting arrows at the woman's feet to try and interrupt her path. Yang on the other hand, took a sprint straight at Cinder with a determined expression.

Seeing the blonde approach, the witch cast another stream of fiery explosions aimed in the space between the two, but Yang leapt around the bursts of fire, skillfully dodging most of the blast damage. Ruby stood still, incapable of aiming a shot with her sister in the way of the target, as the brawler crouched under a fireball, and reached Cinder. She stood back up, using the momentum to charge an uppercut at the woman's chin.

Cinder didn't skip a beat, placing a palm in the way of the punch, completely drowning out the movement. Her fingers clutched over the girl's fists, and the metal of the gauntlets started heating, gaining an orange glow. Yang tried her best to ignore the burning skin in contact with the metal, and launched another punch with the free hand, aimed at the side of the caster's skull, but that blow was intercepted just as the other.

The blonde screamed, feeling her flesh burning inside the armored greaves, and lost balance on her legs, only standing by the fists the fire witch was still holding up. As the blonde fell to her knees, Ruby saw an opening and quickly fired a projectile, desperately trying to stop the pain her sibling was in. The arrow, not properly pointed and prepared, scraped Cinder's cheek, drawing a single droplet of blood from it.

It was the first actual damage they had landed on the raven-haired woman, successfully removing the twisted and sadistic grin she had on her dark red lips. She threw Yang to the side, forcing her body to hit a pile of debris. The blonde shuffled in a hurry to remove the gauntlets, screaming more as her skin was ripped off, glued to the steaming metal. Her hands were charred and torn, which put together with the physical trauma took her out of the fight for good.

Cinder focused all her attention on Ruby, the only remaining foe in sight. As she walked forward, shadows of flame appeared by her sides, forming copies of herself once again. The huntress watched helplessly as five women came before her with bloodthirst in their eyes.

She counted the remaining bolts in her quiver, finding only 6 left. She drew one against the bowstring, backing away from the enemies, and fired it at the one in the center. The projectile burned to ashes before it's trajectory was even halfway done. Ruby shot another two, aimed at each of the furthest Cinders, hoping for a better result, but the same happened to them. She retrieved a fourth arrow from the quiver, the weight of her impending defeat slowing down her muscles. She had no more backup, no more tricks up her sleeve, and no hope of prevailing against a woman of such might.

Her fingers became numb, and the arrow slipped from her grasp, falling pathetically just before the witch's feet.

"What's the matter? I thought you had this!" The raven-haired woman nearly screamed, the lust of victory placing a wide smile on her face. "Fight back, Ruby Rose! Defeat me!"

The huntress didn't want to fight back anymore.

She had failed.

Failed her sister, who was barely conscious on the floor, her fingers nothing but a charred ruin.

Failed Velvet and her friends, who had nearly lost their lives trying to help her.

Failed her father who had died at the hands of the same woman about to take her life too.

Failed Blake, who had sacrificed herself so she could live and fight on, and who's selflessness would mean nothing if the girl was to perish right here.

Failed Penny, who she hadn't made it in time to save from the clutches of the stone.

She had failed all of them, everyone she knew and cared for, and no amount of fighting now would make up for her shortcomings.

She didn't want to fight anymore, but at the same time she didn't want to die. She didn't want to be a coward when all her friends had shown bravery. She wanted to be worthy of their strength, to honor their sacrifices, so she took her hunting knife out of her belt, and lunged at the vile woman.

Ruby swung her blade, slicing the air between her and one of the copies of the sorceress, her movements frantic and desperate. She tried to stab her, put the woman merely pushed aside her arm and punched her ribcage. The air in her lungs exited her in a flash, and she fell down, gasping for air.

"Is that all you have? Aren't you strong enough to face me?"

The red-hooded girl didn't answer, but used all her strength to propell her body out of the ground and towards the taunting witch. Her foot, however, was grabbed out of the air by another one of the mirror images of Cinder, and she fell face down on the ground again. Turning over, she looked up to see the five women looking down at her with a victorious grin.

One of them, she guessed the real one, lifted her leg and placed the heel of her shoe on the archer's chest. "I guess you were weak after all. You were no match for my power, just like poor old Weiss."

"I'M NOT WEAK!" The blue-eyed spell-caster, who had been in the sidelines for a while, burst out and yelled.

The whole ruined room gazed at her in surprise, as she waved both her hands above her head, and a blizzard took form around them. She screamed wordlessly, and Ruby saw frost quickly take over the copies of the raven-haired witch, turning them rigid and then shattering them.

Cinder jumped, frightened by the sudden change in temperature, but it wasn't lng before she regained composure. The woman left Ruby, and with a fiery hatred in her orange irises she moved towards Weiss.

The huntress stood up, and grabbed her weapons once again. She was considering running away, when the two witches met face to face.

"YOU ARE NOTHING!" The flame caster smacked Weiss in the face, making the powerless woman fall on the floor.

"YOU THINK YOU ARE POWERFUL? THAT YOU CAN DEFY ME? YOU HAVE NOTHING!" Grabbing the ice sorceress' hair, she slammed her face on the floor, breaking her nose, so consumed by the outburst of violence that she completely forgot about Ruby. It was almost as if her mind had all but shut down, and only a gruesome monster was left, a monster fed and nurtured by years of pain and powerlessness festering underneath the surface. "I CAN MAKE YOU FEEL MORE PAIN THAN ANY MAN, WOMAN OR CHILD HAVE EVER FELT IN THEIR LIVES!"

She gripped the blue-eyed girl by the neck and pressed on it hard. The girl would've screamed, but her throat was blocked off. Her body convulsed, overtaken by an intense heat that came from within her. Cinder laughed as she watched the life vanish from the ice sorceress, inflicting on her the same treatment she had given Mercury, her blood boiling until it burned her insides.

It was in that moment, amidst all her fear and desire to flee, that Ruby found the opening she had prayed for. She breathed in deeply, steadying her hands, and reached for her quiver grabbing one of the last two arrows she still had. She lined up the shot, pulling the string as hard as she could, and released it.

The arrow flew through the air, vibrating as it tore through the blazing atmosphere. It seemed like it took forever, playing on the girl's uncertainties about whether or not she had landed the shot. Cinder was distracted with torturing the younger witch, and that would be her final opening. If she missed, the moment would be over, and their mission failed.

She held her breath, putting all her faith in that final desperate action.

The projectile didn't miss. It struck the woman at the center of her chest, piercing through her skin and flesh and lodging itself in between Cinder's ribcage.

The raven-haired witch looked down at her body with an unbelieving stare. She dropped Weiss Schnee, who fell limp on the floor, breathing her last.

"Impossible, I..." No one ever heard the end of her words of doubt, as the archer masterfully aimed the very last arrow she had, and watched it thrust into the woman's neck, the arrowhead sticking out of the other side.

Cinder gazed up at her killer, all flame in her irises extinguished, her orange eyes instead wide, incapable of processing her loss. She opened her mouth, but no sound came off it, blood raining down from where the bolt had punctured her skin. She collapsed down, life quickly dissipating from her, and after a couple of seconds stopped moving altogether, her face forever frozen in a stare of disbelief.

Quietly, silhouettes began gathering around the room, looking at the body. The prisoners, their cells broken by the destruction wrought on that house, walked tentatively to the body, yearning to see if the monster was truly dead.

Ruby paid them no mind. The witch was felled, the battle was won, but she didn't care about any of it. She took no pleasure in that victory, or even realized that had been the first time she had killed another human being, if you could call Cinder that. She had far more pressing concerns in her head.

She ran through the smashed walls, seeking the room they had first found the sorceress at. She tripped on the rubble and fell, but kept running, ignoring the knee scrape that tore through her pants. None of it mattered if...

Her eyes came upon Penny's stone body, trapped underneath a large piece of the destroyed house. The huntress closed her eyes as she tried to get the insurmountable rock, putting all the strength she had left after the fight on that final task. She didn't want to look, to be faced with the prospect of having lost Penny forever. Not after all they had sacrificed. Their story couldn't ebd like that.

The debris didnt budge, only deepening the thorn stuck in her heart, but before she even considered giving up, a pair of pale hands appeared by her side, lending strength to move the boulder. Together with the unknown benefactor, they lifted the rock, letting it fall loudly on the ground, and unveiling the girl beneath. The archer didn't even turn to see who had helped her, or thank them, too consumed by her grief.

Ruby felt the thorn bury itself even deeper inside, now not only piercing her heart but also clutching her throat, making her feel like she would suffocate.

Penny wasn't moving, not even the steady and subtle pulsation of breathing. The archer grazed her hands over the milky white skin hoping to feel a patch of warmth, even just one trace of life left in there. She found none.

Without warning or asking for permission, tears began streaming down her face. She fell on her knees, too drained to stay strong anymore.

"Penny, please wake up." She softly touched the statue's face.

She received no answer.

"You can't leave me. Not now, not after all we've been through."

Silence.

"DAMMIT PENNY I NEED YOU!" She punched the sculpture, but the ache in her fist drowned in the immense sea pain she was already feeling.

But there was only silence.

Nothing but silence.

"Don't go..."

...

...

A voice was heard, but not the one she wanted.

"Did my sister do this?"

She didn't respond to Winter Schnee's question. She didn't need to, the woman already knew the answer.

"Can you help her?" Ruby's voice was barely audible, her throat strained and her mind at the edge of nothingness.

Winter took a step forward and carefully kneeled near the body.

"I can try."

* * *

 **I'm really sorry it took so long to get this out. I tried, oh boy did I try, but I just couldn't get anything on paper. I didn't want to leave this story unfinished, but every time I sat down to write it nothing came up. I'm not exactly happy with the quality of the chapter, but I just really want to put this fic to rest.**

 **I may or may not have gone on a crazy writing spree when I realized I could have this ready in time for Christmas :P**

 **Next chapter will be the final one, and I already have a part of it done, so it shouldn't take long at all. Thanks for sticking with me and this story, for all its ups and downs. I love every single one of you.  
**


	15. Real

**Here we are, the end of the journey.**

* * *

 **15\. Real**

Ruby quietly approached the two graves, placing the yellow lilies down in front of the very first one. The tombstone was an irregular rock they had managed to roll into place, with no engravings on it. They had wished to mark it with the name of the deceased, so it could withstand the passage of time, but neither Ruby or Yang could write, thus memory was all they had left of her. And Ruby was determined never to forget.

"Hey, Blake."

The dead offered no greeting in return, as would be expected, but that was not the reason the archer had paused. She swallowed her guilt and pain, and resumed.

"Things have been going well back home. We're all still healing, but it's slowly getting better."

The wind blew softly on her face, the only sound heard besides her voice. It was cold, bringing with it the end of fall, but they were well stocked and prepared for the coming season. It would probably be their best winter in a long time. The food would keep them warm when walls and blankets couldn't, and the lower temperature helped keep the reserves unspoiled for longer. If they had any luck, there would be days dry enough for foraging and gathering wood, maybe even hunt. They had been toughened by their experiences of late, and, above all, they had each other. They would be fine.

"Yang was offered her position back in the army, apparently the General heard of all those mages we rescued. She's not going to take it, though. Once was enough."

A soldier had come to their home a week past, bearing a royal decree signed by King Ozpin himself, warranting the full pardon of the sisters' crimes, even though they had already been acquitted in trial. It was, more than anything, a formality, as well as a show of gratitude. And in Yang's eloquent words, "that garbage will be great to start a fire when the snows fall."

"We've all had enough excitement for one lifetime."

She sat down next to the burial site.

"She's becoming a woodcutter, you know? I think it suits her, plenty of trees she can take out her frustrations on." She giggled softly, but then her face became dark. "She still blames herself. For leaving, for... not being there for you. I can tell she's hurting underneath the surface even if she pretends like everything's fine. I guess she is trying to be strong for me, still acting like an older sister even after everything that happened."

*Do YOU still blame yourself?* She could almost hear the dirt asking.

"I miss you. I miss the way you made Yang smile, the house felt more alive with you there. Also your kitty ears were so cute and fluffy." This time she didn't laugh. "I know it's not my fault, you wouldn't want me to feel that way. No, you were always the strongest of us, because you had been out there and seen how cruel the world could be."

Her words began to choke, but she kept going. Just a little further.

"I want to be brave like you were. And that means accepting the mistakes I made just like you did yours."

She touched the tombstone gently, and tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"I know you lost your family a while back, but to me you'll always be family."

She got up, and wiped her face on her sleeve.

"Thank you, Blake. I promise to come back soon."

She dusted off her clothes, and looked at the other grave. It had a similar stone marking its place, and a solitary white rose lain on top of it.

 _"Why did you insist on burying her? Weiss tried to kill us on more than one occasion." Yang spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb either the dead or the living._

 _Ruby glanced at the white-haired woman kneeling in front of her sister's grave._

 _"We don't bury the dead for their sake. We do it for ours, so that we can have closure, and keep moving forward."_

 _"Dammit Ruby, you're gonna make me cry!" She was enveloped in a bone-crushing hug by her older sibling. "When did you get so grown up?"_

 _Ruby wondered that herself as well._

She stared at the final resting place of Weiss Schnee.

The woman who had enslaved Penny

The woman who had attempted to kill her and her friends.

The woman who had threatened to destroy everything she knew and cared for.

The girl who's death had allowed their victory over Cinder.

Weiss had been hurting and in pain, and the huntress had failed to save her. Ruby learned the hard way that not everyone could be saved, and only those who wished to be helped could be helped. The ivory witch was beyond salvation, the darkness of isolation had tainted her heart too deeply.

She did not shed tears for the lonely sorceress, but she nodded solemnly at her burial place, as a sign of respect. Respect for a person so dedicated to power she would rather die than live in chains.

She turned around, and took off. It had been a long walk there, but she still had more ground to cover if she wanted to be home before nightfall.

* * *

The hooded archer opened the door to the house, letting the setting sun peer through the opening. She noted the absence of her sister, probably still returning home herself, or maybe out already for another one of swindles. The brawler might have gotten an honest job, but that didn't keep her from the occasional mischief, and now that her hands had healed from the awful burns inflicted on them, she was yearning to put them to use.

Walking across the kitchen, the huntress grabbed a loaf of bread and filled a jar with water they had stored in a large bucket - large containers required less frequent trips to the town well. There was no game to be prepared that day, because Ruby had taken the day off from hunting, yet that austere food would suffice for what she had in mind.

She quietly crossed the hallway, and made her way to her room, but wooden floors are treacherous bastards, and the creaking sound under her feet gave her presence away.

"You know, when this happened last time and our roles were reversed, I sat by your bedside waiting for you to wake up." Penny smiled, lying down on the bed underneath the blanket. "You are a terrible girlfriend."

Ruby froze, nearly dropping the jar on the floor. It only took her a second to recover, but the damage had been done and no amount of trying to act natural was going to erase it, or the intense blush on her cheeks for that matter.

She placed down the food and drink where the bed-ridden girl could reach them, ensuring nothing could happen to them, and looked the redhead in the eyes with a scorning, albeit fake, expression.

"I am never letting you near my sister again; her corny jokes must be rubbing off on you."

Penny giggled, and poured a cup of water for herself. "It's not my fault you weren't here to keep me company, and neither is it Yang's."

"You should be out of that bed in just a couple of days; Winter said the rigidness should pass soon." She pinched the ginger's arm, and giggled at the adorable yelping sound she made.

"I hope. It's not exactly exciting in here."

"Are you saying you don't enjoy my company?"

Penny opened and closed her mouth, failing to form a coherent sentence. The huntress nearly fell down laughing. Revenge was delicious.

"Hey that's not fair; my brain is still made of stone!"

"You know, you can't use that excuse anymore." She picked up the girl's hand, and squeezed it with hers, feeling the warm skin, alive and pulsing. "You're all human like me now."

"Do you think this time it will be for good?"

"It'd better. And if it isn't, we know where Winter lives."

A silence fell between them, as they reveled in having each other's company after so long, at last free from magic and diseases. Ruby had never guessed the ginger girl would bring so much adventure into her life, but right now, she was ready to lay down the quiver and rest. It had been a long and treacherous journey, but they were together, and they were home.

"Hey, Ruby?" Just like that, the moment ended.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For... not giving up on me."

"Of course, I mean, I was the one who got you in that mess..."

Penny's green eyes went from solemn to amused in a matter of seconds.

"Are you going to start doing that brooding hero thing where they think they're to blame for everything?"

"I'm not a hero, but you... I was the one who got you in this mess, and..." The archer stammered, not expecting to be caught red-handed like that.

The bed-ridden girl squeezed her fingers harder, although not enough to hurt. "You didn't get me into anything. I was the one who asked to become human without understanding the consequences."

"But, I..." Once again, she was interrupted before she could finish the sentence.

"We made the mess together, okay? And now we're out of it together."

She nodded as Penny cupped her cheek with one hand, looking deeply into her silver eyes. "And you are a hero. My hero."

"BAHAAAHAAHAHAHA!" Ruby jumped up from the bed, startled by the thundering sound coming from the entrance to her room, and saw Yang by the door. She had a hand lain against the wall to steady herself, and the other holding her side from laughing. "That was the cheesiest thing I have ever heard!"

"Yang, I didn't know you were home!" She tried her best to sound natural, but she could feel her cheeks burning up already.

"I just got here, and man, am I glad I did." The blonde wiped the tears off her eyes, attempting to regain composure, but another chuckle escaped her lips, and it would not be the last one.

"How are your hands doing?"

Yang lifted both her fists up, but did not remove the leather gloves covering them. She evidently still hadn't come to terms with how they looked after the incident. "Still got both of them, so I can't complain. Anyway, I see you girls are in the middle of something, so I'm going to head out. There's cold beer and loose pockets waiting for me at the tavern."

Ruby watched the blonde wave and walk away, she traded a glance with Penny, both of them wordless after being caught off-guard storm that was Yang Xiao Long.

"Oh, and..." The older sibling appeared again, peeking her head through the door opening. "...don't forget what I taught you, Penny."

This time she actually left, as evidenced by the sound of the front door closing a few seconds later. The huntress shook her head, embarrassed by the brawler's very existence, and turned around, facing the bed.

"Hey, what did she..."

Her words died out when she turned, seeing the ginger's face so close to hers, just a mere inches away. A pair of lips crashed into hers, completing the surprise. Ruby nearly lost balance, holding on to the bed frame for dear life.

Penny backed out, doubt in her eyes from not feeling any reciprocation from her partner. She opened her mouth, but was cut short.

"Is this what Yang taught you? Please tell me it wasn't a practical lesson." The ginger blinked in disbelief, and shook her head. "Oh good."

The huntress grabbed her face with both hands, her cheeks flushed and bright red, and a wide smile on her mouth.

"Because I want you all to myself."

The silver-eyed youngster was the one to initiate the kiss this time. The other girl's lips felt soft against hers, sweet, warm, human. There was no rigid or cold stone, no lifeless disease spreading.

She was real.

 **The End**

* * *

 **It's finally done. Feels good, man.**

 **I wasn't sure about the tone I wanted for this very last one, but screw it. After so much angst and darkness, they deserve their cheesy happy ending.**

 **This fic went through some shit, not gonna lie, and it suffered because of it. After months of writing non-stop, every single day, I burned out and my excitement about RWBY withered away. By the time Volume 4 was about to hit, when my enthusiasm came back, it had been too long since I had written, and I no longer felt immersed in this story. I had a plan laid out, but the spark was gone. Chapter 14 was hell to write, I don't think I ever struggled so much with a piece.**

 **I actually left a couple of hints to a team JNPR spin-off, quite some chapters back, but after this mess I'm not sure I want to start another one.  
**

 **I want to thank, again, everyone who read this through to the end. I'm truly sorry about the hiatus, and all the complications along the way. Seeing your reviews, reading your reactions to the story, you can't imagine how happy it makes me. I would've given up if it weren't for all you guys. I want to thank in particular Shippo and Foxy, for your consistent input and love. Like seriously, you're the best.**

 **I'M FREE. TIME TO CELEBRATE. SODNAM OUT.**


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